The dream start to the season for the Falcons can continue tomorrow with a win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Nobody expected Michael Turner, the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 1, to rush for 220 yards in his Atlanta debut, but that was against a putrid Detroit run defense. The Bucs, headlined by future Hall-of-Famer Derrick Brooks at linebacker, are far more capable of slowing down “The Burner” than the cowardly Lions.
That does not mean, however, that the Falcons still cannot be successful in the running game. If the speedy linebackers of Tampa fill the holes quickly against Turner, head coach Mike Smith can call on the versatility of Jerious Norwood (6.6 yards per carry) who was just as dynamic against Detroit as Turner, the new Falcons single-game rushing leader. Can Norwood continue to keep defenses honest? When the Bucs key in on the run, can Matt Ryan continue his heady play? And finally, can the Falcons front seven hold up against a much more formidable rushing attack?
1.) ARE YOU JERIOUS?
Despite a lackluster debut against the Saints last week, the Bucs defense as a whole is more athletic than the one the Falcons faced against Detroit. In order to counter the speed of penetrating defensive tackle Chris Hovan (two tackles for loss vs. Saints) and linebackers Cato June and Barrett Rudd, the Falcons may need to do the unthinkable and (gulp!) attack Brooks at the outside linebacker position. Brooks, at 35 years old, has lost a step on the outside, and enters Sunday’s game as a game-time decision because of a hamstring injury. If Brooks plays, he will not be at 100 percent, which leaves even more space for the Falcons’ running backs, especially Norwood, to operate after getting past the front four. Look for offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey to test Brooks early on run plays to the weakside.
2.) PICK YOUR SPOTS
After completing his first regular-season pass for a touchdown, Matt Ryan returns to earth against arguably the best Cover 2 coach ever – Tampa defensive guru Monte Kiffin. Tampa’s athletic linebackers will be dropped into coverage in a majority of the defenses Ryan sees on Sunday. In order for Ryan to be more effective, the Falcons need to do exactly what they did in Game 1: avoid third and long to make throwing downfield easier. When his number is called, Ryan must be accurate and know where the floating linebackers are at all times. No one plays the Cover 2 like Tampa.
3.) STAYING AGGRESSIVE
There was a time in the third quarter against the Lions when the Falcons’ intensity appeared to be wearing off, until Lawyer Milloy provided a momentum-changing interception. What the Falcons have done better than anything else this early into 2008 is initiating the aggression on both the offensive and defensive lines. For a moment, that aggression wore off last week, something the Falcons can ill afford against a solid Buccaneers’ running game, headlined by Earnest Graham (9.1 yards per carry against New Orleans). The Falcons pass rush has been presented another golden opportunity in journeyman Brian Griese getting the start at quarterback over the injured Jeff Garcia. Griese is nowhere near as mobile as Garcia, which sets up nicely for John Abraham, who enters Sunday’s game as the NFC leader in sacks (three). The pressure up front will make life easier for a secondary that continues to play above expectations. Another sub-100 rushing yard effort may be harder to produce against a Graham-Warrick Dunn combo, but expect sparks to fly when middle linebacker Curtis Lofton plugs the hole against the stocky, 225-pound Graham. If Lofton can win that battle, Griese will be forced to make plays, something that his so-so arm strength limits him from doing downfield.
Above all, the Falcons must prove that they can play in Raymond James Stadium with the same intensity that they did in the Georgia Dome. The Bucs can be had if the Falcons stay with their run-first mentality. The offense will not average 10 yards a carry, so Mularkey will have to be patient. If the run defense can stay dominant and Turner can get his 100-plus yards, the Falcons have a shot to start 2-0 for the first time since 2006. Otherwise, a seasoned Tampa team may be too much for the Falcons this time. FINAL SCORE: Buccaneers 24, Falcons 20.
Horne can be reached at ehorne@scoreatl.com.
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