Falcons vs. Buccaneers Week 17 open thread and key info

The season finale is here. The majority of Falcons fans probably were feeling more dour than usual coming into this season, but even the .500 or below crew probably didn’t see the Falcons struggling to come out of this season with 5 wins. If you did, congratulations, as you probably saved a great deal on blood pressure medication and Tums.

Today brings Atlanta up against a Tampa Bay team missing two of their top defenders but still gunning for the #5 seed in the NFC, meaning they have plenty to play for. They won’t be resting starters, while the Falcons will be without Julio Jones and Alex Mack, among others. It’ll either be one final strong effort to upend a Tom Brady-led team for the first time in franchise history or one more loss to cap off the first 4-12 season in quite a few years, and either way the Falcons are heading for a top ten draft selection, a new front office, and likely a brand new coaching staff.

Use this as your open thread for the game, and let’s see how this season ends.

Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Week 17

When: Sunday, January 3, 1:00 p.m. EST

Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

Channel: FOX

Announcers: Chris Myers, Greg Jennings, Jen Hale

Streaming: FOXSportsGo

Radio: 92.9 The Game

Key Questions: Will the Bucs put on a second half show to win again, or will Atlanta’s defense be up to the task? Will Calvin Ridley end up top ten in every single season mark after this game? Will anyone finish with more than 5 sacks this year?

Prediction: This game features the Falcons sans Alex Mack and possibly down a few other starters, and the Bucs are still playing for playoff seeding. I’m sure the Falcons will put up a good fight yet again, but I think they’ll ultimately lose 28-24.

SB Nation Opposition Site: Bucs Nation