Buccaneers prepare for critical matchup against Falcons with playoff hopes on the line
TAMPA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 22: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks to throw a pass in the first half of a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Ima
TAMPA, Fla. - There is no doubt about the importance of Sunday's NFC South showdown in Atlanta for the Buccaneers.
"It's big, it's huge," Safety Ryan Neal said. "Win we keep going. We lose it's done, period."
"We’re treating it like a playoff game, because, really, for us, it is," Offensive Tackle Cody Mauch said. "You’ve got to keep winning, especially these division games. That’s just kind of the mentality for us: keep winning, especially these division games."
Losing to Atlanta earlier this season still eats at the Bucs. It's not only that they lost to the Falcons. It's the way they lost to their division rival.
The Bucs surrendered a game-winning drive with 45 seconds left on the clock.
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"The first game was a little hard to watch, film-wise, going back through it and seeing the improvements that we’ve had," Baker Mayfield said. "They presented different issues for us that we had to learn from. Some blitz package issues. I mean, they held us to a pretty low score, so we’ve got to go in and improve, learn off that game plan. But also, them not having Grady Jarrett is a little different. They’ve had [Kentavius] Street come in and play really well for them. We’re both different to a certain extent, so we’ve just got to look at the new tape and grow and learn from there."
The Bucs understand the mistakes that they made against the Falcons, but Atlanta's 3-point victory is an indication of just how close these teams are.
Both average nearly the same points a game (the Bucs 19.4 to the Falcons 18.8). Defensively, the Bucs are allowing 20.4 points per game, and the Falcons allowing 20 per game. It's also strength versus strength.
The Bucs have the 10th best run defense, and Atlanta thrives on the ground game, ranked 6th best in the NFL. They have four players that can run it, including quarterback Desmond Ridder.
"They've been moving that ball on the ground," said Neal. "We already know what kind of challenge it's going to be, so we'll be ready for it."
The Bucs are preparing for another close matchup, one they know they have to win.