Watch out for these storylines as the Atlanta Falcons prepare to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in just a few days during Primetime Thursday Night Football.
WR Julio Jones currently leads the league in receptions over 20 yards including a play for 24-yards during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Jones was the Falcons' top receiver in both games to begin the season with 116 yards in Week 1 and 88 yards in Week 2.
LB Paul Worrilow leads the league in a different category. With 29 tackles in the first two games, Worrilow has been a key contributor in the Falcons' defense.
Buccaneers RB Doug Martin was inactive during last week's game against the St. Louis Rams and it was RB Bobby Rainey that has picked up the slack. The third year veteran ran for 144 yards against the Rams and ran for 163 yards during last year's Week 11 defeat of the Falcons. Holding Rainey back will be crucial for the Falcons' defense to pick up the win.
The Atlanta Falcons' defense has struggled with the run over the last two games allowing a combined 309 rush yards after taking on the New Orleans Saints and the Cincinnati Bengals. Rainey has run through the Falcons' defense before and controlling him will be critical going into this week's Thursday night game.
T Jake Matthews' status is unknown going into the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and with the offensive struggling against the pass rush during the game against Cincinnati Bengals, the offensive line has to step up.
With Buccaneers DE Adrian Clayborn placed on injured reserve, and injuries suffered to DE Michael Johnson and DT Gerald McCoy, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are relying on players like DE Scott Solomon and S Dashon Goldson for the pass rush. This could be beneficial for the Falcons' offensive line this week and allow QB Matt Ryan more time to make plays.
Ready for Primetime? The Falcons have a short turn around heading into Thursday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Atlanta Falcons' defense have logged zero sacks heading into Week 3. The team had a combined 32 sacks last season and logged 8 during the preseason. Pressuring the quarterback will be on the defense's mind going into this Thursday's game.
After this week, the Falcons will only be at home for two of the next eight games (discluding the game in London where the Falcons are considered the home team). The Falcons will need to gain momentum during this week's game before a long streak of road games.
One look at the Bucs injury report so far this week and you might view it as a defensive line depth chart.
On it are star DT Gerald McCoy, who broke his hand in Sunday's game, and newly-acquired DE Michael Johnson, who missed that game as he recovers from an ankle injury.
Backup Da'Quan Bowers (abdomen) was also listed. Already on injured reserve and lost for the season is defensive end Adrian Clayborn.
That knowledge, however, isn't changing a thing about how the Falcons are preparing for Thursday night's game. Quarterback Matt Ryan said the defensive line is the standout unit of the Bucs defense and the offensive line is taking that to heart in their preparations so far this week.
"You prepare for their best," right tackle Lamar Holmes said Tuesday. "We're going out there preparing like we're going to get their best shot, their best punch every play. Even though some guys are down, if we prepare like we're going against the best every time, you'll be ready no matter what comes your way."
Should McCoy not be able to play, Bowers or Ankeem Spence would be the likely replacements. Spence played 70 percent of the snaps in Tampa's Week 2 matchup against St. Louis while Bowers played 59 percent.
At defensive end should Johnson be out, Larry English, who was waived by the Bucs as part of final cuts before the regular season and then re-signed after Clayborn went on IR, could be the potential beneficiary of those snaps.
"A few of them played last week, so you get a little bit of film but those guys are kind of the dangerous guys because they're trying to prove themselves every week," center Joe Hawley said. "They have great energy when they go out there and you don't really get a chance to scout them, so those are the dangerous ones you've got to worry about."
The Falcons offensive line will try to improve on giving up two sacks of Matt Ryan against the Bengals last week.
