At the end of the day Monday, or perhaps in the early hours of Tuesday, the Atlanta Falcons will have either beaten the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa or lost to them. A loss will hurt their playoff chances significantly, and a win will enhance them. Less importantly but still of note, though, is what a win will mean for the all-time series against the Bucs.
Currently, the all-time series is tied after Julio Jones put up a cool 250+ yards against Tampa Bay earlier this year. The series has been tight for many years now, but the Falcons have their first chance to tip the scales in a little bit with a W. It would also run the team’s win streak against Tampa Bay to three games, the same streak they currently have against the Saints.
The Falcons are about six point favorites at the moment, and that seems appropriate even though they’re on the road. I’m hoping for the dual sweetness of a victory that gives the Falcons bragging rights over a rival and a continued presence in the NFC playoff race.