Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Buccaneers at Falcons: Five Keys to Victory

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Here are the keys to victory for the Buccaneers against the Falcons in week one.

Aug 31, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston (3) warms up in a steady rain from a weather band spawned by Tropical Storm Hermine before a football game against the Washington Redskins at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Back to football, I think that’ the slogan the league publicizes, and that is exactly what we are. It’s time for football. On Sunday, September 11th, Jameis Winston, Doug Martin, Kwon Alexander and the rest of your Buccaneers head to the Georgia Dome to take on Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman and the rest of the Atlanta Falcons. It’s the first of the two yearly matchups between the division foes.

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As division rivals, these two teams have done battle quite often, 45 times to be exact and the Bucs lead the all-time series 23-22. Last year the Bucs broke out the brooms, beating the Falcons 23-20 in overtime at the Georgia Dome, and 23-19 at Raymond James Stadium.

Let’s look at the keys to victory for Tampa Bay:

Aug 26, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy (93) during the first quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Get to the Quarterback

Matt Ryan did not have a good training camp, completing less than 50% of his passes in the limited time the starting quarterback typically sees. He was also sacked 32 times last year, ranking the Falcons’ offensive line 15th in the NFL per Football Outsiders. The line can be beaten and Ryan can be pressured.

We know the story by now. Gerald McCoy needed some help getting to the passer. He was a one-man band, and Jason Licht knew it. He added Robert Ayers, he added Noah Spence. The pass rush was better in the preseason but it was inconsistent. The Bucs posted four sacks in the opening game, and none the next week. It’s a group that is still trying to find its way. They are going to need to do so against the Falcons.

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Oct 4, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons fans celebrate the Falcons final touchdown on a fumble return in the fourth quarter of their game against the Houston Texans at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons won 48-21. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Take the Crowd Out

The crowd at the Georgia Dome is loud. All inside stadiums are naturally louder, but Falcons’ fans are a particular influence on the game. Granted some of it has been fake in the past, and the Falcons were penalized for it, but even without it, they are loud. If they are given the chance to make a difference in this game it will be a long afternoon.

How do the Bucs take them out? Start quickly. The first-team offense had good drives, but never strung them together during the preseason. They have felt the loss of Logan Mankins. They averaged less than three yards per carry on the ground. If the Bucs start out playing that way, the crowd will be come a factor and this tough game will become tougher. Jameis and company need to get out of the gate in a hurry.

Jan 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) makes a catch against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at the Georgia Dome. The Saints defeated the Falcons 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Press the Wide Receivers

All football fans are familiar with this dominant guy above, and fans of the Bucs are far too familiar with him. In eight career games against Tampa Bay, Julio Jones has averaged over 116 yards per game. In short, he has torched them each and every time he has taken the field of battle in this rivalry.

In the game, Vernon Hargreaves will spend some of the time matched up against Julio, as defensive coordinator Mike Smith pointed out:

“Vernon is a very competitive guy and we’ve brought him along where he can play both inside and outside. So he’s going to get his opportunities to get matched up against Julio in this ball game. Julio is one of the top receivers and there’s no better way to measure where you’re at than going against one of the best receivers in the NFL.”

It’s a bit of a surprise that they will throw the kid into the wolves, but he showed during the preseason that he has playmaking ability. He picked off more passes (2) than his opposing receivers caught (1). To beat Julio, he is going to have to get physical. Within the permitted five yards, he needs to get his hands on him and throw him off his route. It won’t be ideal if Jones is allowed to roam free.

Aug 31, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers punter Bryan Anger (9) punts against the Washington Redskins during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Win the Field Position Battle

The Bucs played a great deal of close games last year. Only one of their wins was a blowout, and two out of the six were by 14 points or more. They also lost their fair share of close games. On paper they have more closers on defense than last year, but they have to come together. There is a lot of potential for the Bucs to be involved in close games again in 2016.

That makes the field position battle extremely important. Fans can rest a bit more easily as Jacob Schum is out and Bryan Anger is in. Schum averaged 41.9 yards per punt, Anger averaged 46.3 last year. He is a career 46 yard per punt guy, and is far better at dropping punts inside the opposing twenty yard line. He is going to need to play well for the Bucs to prevail.

Aug 26, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Dirk Koetter looks on against the Cleveland Browns during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

A Steady Hand from Dirk

Debuts are not easy for anyone. Everybody reading this post has had first day jitters at their jobs. The unknown is always difficult. Can we do what we have been trained to do? When you are under the bright lights of a stage, or a sports field, those jitters grow exponentially. Whether you are a rookie hitting the NFL stage for the first time, or a career assistant coach making his head coaching debut, it’s tough. The nerves can get to you.

That is what Dirk Koetter must avoid. He will be under the gun and have to make decisions in this one. If recent history is any indication, the game will be close. Dirk may have to make a call that changes the outcome of the day. If the first game nerves get to him he won’t be able to make a clear call. He needs to be ready and have a steady hand.

What are your keys to the game?

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