Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Six Points: Falcons vs. Buccaneers

Published Dec. 4, 2015 8:00 a.m. ET

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In what could be a make-or-break game for both teams, the Atlanta Falcons (6-5) head on the road to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6) in Week 13. Both teams are currently on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, but a win will send each in the right direction.

For the Falcons, it's all about ending their brutal four game losing streak, which has pushed them from being all but a lock to make the playoffs early in the year, to having to fight to grab a Wild Card spot. Atlanta gets some good news as running back Devonta Freeman will be back in action this Sunday after missing a game due to a concussion.

As for Tampa Bay, it's been all about letting rookie quarterback Jameis Winston air it out over the recent weeks. In their last four games, Winston has thrown the ball at least 36 times in three of them, which has resulted in the team going 2-2. Winston also had an incredible five touchdown game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Even with his strong run, they may need to rely more on Doug Martin and the run game to kick start the offense.

Here are three keys to the game for the Falcons and the Buccaneers.

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1. Control the clock with Freeman and Tevin Coleman

There's no denying the fact that Matt Ryan is a talented player, but he's been in a bit of a funk as of late. Ryan has thrown five interceptions in his last two games, and he'll need to be smart with the football in Week 13. Instead of putting Ryan in situations where he has to throw the ball 40-plus times, the Falcons need to utilize both Freeman and Coleman. The Buccaneers don't have a bad run defense by a long shot, but Atlanta has a strong run offense, and we saw last week what Coleman can do when called upon. Atlanta has two impressive young players at the position, so they shouldn't shy away from burning clock and slowly working their way downfield with these two playmakers.

2. Get Roddy White and Justin Hardy involved

Julio Jones is going to get his targets and catches regardless, but the Buccaneers have struggled against the pass in 2015. Two players who should benefit in a big way are White and Hardy. To this point in the season, Tampa Bay has allowed 148 catches for 1,877 yards and 15 touchdowns to opposing wide receivers. This bodes well for White and Hardy, and while we've seen Hardy get just four targets in the past two games, White's targets have increased to 17 over the last two outings. Ryan will have open receivers when he does throw, as the focus for the Buccaneers should be on Jones.

3. Get to Jameis Winston

The Falcons have just five sacks over their past six games, and that's something that has to change against Tampa Bay. The focus for Atlanta should be on finding a way to get Vic Beasley free. He's probably their fastest and most intriguing option as a pass rusher, but has just two sacks this year. The good news for Atlanta is that Winston has been sacked 22 times this season, so the potential to bring down the rookie is there. If Atlanta can get push from their defensive line, they could tally a multi-sack game.

1. Don't put too much on Winston's plate

To this point in the season, the Falcons have allowed 1,365 yards and just three touchdowns to opposing wide receivers. This doesn't bode well for Winston and the Buccaneers offense. While Tampa Bay has been upping the workload that Winston has had over the past few weeks, now may be the time to slow it down a bit and let the run game go to work. Keep Winston to easy, quick passes with a few screens to start the game, and then let him progress from there. There's no reason for Tampa Bay to take early chances downfield.

2. Utilize Martin and Charles Sims in the pass game

The Falcons have allowed opposing running backs to total 81 receptions for 655 yards and three scores this season. That number of receptions are the most in the NFL, and it's great news for a duo in Martin and Sims who have combined for 50 catches this season. Between the two they also have four touchdown catches, so we probably shouldn't be too surprised to see these two get a few catches early on in this game.

3. Get into the head of Ryan

We've seen Ryan struggle this season at times, throwing 12 interceptions, and being on pace for the most in a season for his whole career. If Tampa Bay wants to win this game, they need to force Ryan to make mistakes and turn the ball over. The Falcons are likely going to do their best to avoid putting Ryan in bad situations, so if the Buccaneers can throw a few different looks in his direction it could be a long way towards getting a win. Ryan's play may wind up deciding the outcome of this game, so that puts a lot of pressure on the Tampa Bay defense.