Falcons vs Buccaneers: Vote for the offensive player of the game

After a debacle of a game last week, the Falcons returned home to face a defense so bad that sports writers are openly questioning if they could stop the Alabama offense. That showed up in a big way on Sunday, as the Mike Smith led defense was as bad as advertised. It led to another big offensive outing for the Falcons, with several strong offensive player of the game candidates.

Matt Ryan

What more can you say about his game? He completed his first 12 passes en route to another sterling performance. He was 31 of 41 for 354 yards and 3 TDs on the afternoon. This team would have little to no hope if Ryan wasn’t playing at a high level.

Julio Jones

With both Calvin Ridley and Mohamed Sanu out for at least half the game, Jones was an obvious target and he still delivered. His 10 receptions for 143 yards didn’t result in any TDs for himself, but he kept the sticks moving and is having a stellar season otherwise.

Austin Hooper

The third year tight end has built a strong chemistry with Matt Ryan and for good reason. He had several key catches, including a critical one on third down where he was getting mugged by the defender before the ball got there. He’s really come alive in his third year and is yet another solid receiving option in this offense.

Mike Smith’s awful defense

Can the Falcons play against this defense every week?