Bucs vs. Falcons: Top matchups to watch in Week 5
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost back-to-back home games, but look to get things back on track Sunday, when they host the Atlanta Falcons.
Here are the top matchups to watch in this Week 5 NFC South showdown:
Bucs WR Mike Evans vs. Falcons CB A.J. Terrell
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
After serving a one-game suspension in Week 3, Evans reminded everyone why he’s a future Hall of Famer, catching a pair of acrobatic touchdowns from Tom Brady last week against the Kansas City Chiefs.
He’ll be tested this week by one of the league’s best young corners in Terrell, who has the size, length, athleticism and physicality to be a worthy adversary when lined up across from Evans.
Falcons WR Drake London vs. Bucs CB Carlton Davis III
(AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
The Falcons made London the top receiver off the board in a loaded 2022 NFL draft class, and he’s already living up to the hype, flashing tons of potential as the team’s No. 1 pass-catcher through the first four weeks of the season.
He’ll face a tall task when lined up across from Davis, who signed a big three-year extension this past offseason to remain in Tampa Bay as their top cover man.
Bucs’ defensive line vs. Falcons’ offensive line
(AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Since Todd Bowles took over as Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator in 2019, his unit has been among the NFL’s best at stopping the run. That wasn’t the case last week, when the Kansas City Chiefs racked up 189 yards on the ground against the Bucs, averaging five yards per carry.
The Falcons enter this game as one of the league’s top-ranked rushing attacks, and though they won’t have star running back Cordarrelle Patterson in the lineup, the Bucs’ defensive front will still want to put an emphasis on returning to their previous form against the run.
