WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: Third-straight win has playoffs squarely in picture

The Falcons increased their win streak to three after rolling over the Buccaneers. The Birds, now with a 7-4 record, are prime contenders for the NFC Wild Card position. Sunday’s win showed more signs of continuous improvement for Atlanta.

Atlanta Falcons writer Matthew Tabeek answers all questions that fans may have regarding the team going forward.

Matt Ryan threw for 317 yards, his second highest yardage on the season, earning a 111.2 passer rating. Early in the third quarter, Ryan led the Falcons 78 yards on nine plays to increase their lead to 21.

With Devonta Freeman sidelined for his second consecutive game after sustaining a concussion in Week 10, Tevin Coleman stepped in to fill his spot. After a quiet showing against Seattle, Coleman exploded for 97 yards on the ground, reaching the end zone twice.

The highlight of the game was a stellar performance by star wide receiver Julio Jones. Previous to this week’s game, Jones had logged in over 100 receiving yards in just two games and scored only one touchdown. He had no trouble taking advantage of the abysmal Bucs secondary, logging 12 receptions for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Jones now stands alone as the only NFL player to have three games with over 250 receiving yards.

Deion Sanders called Julio for a quick chat about the team’s recent success, and how they plan to keep the ball rolling.

AJC’s D. Orlando Ledbetter breaks down what Dan Quinn had to say about his team’s 34-20 victory.

PlayoffStatus.com lays out the close playoff chase in the NFC South.

The Falcons will look to increase their win streak to four as they prepare for their Week 13 game against the Minnesota Vikings at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. There’s no question that the Vikings defense is a tougher opponent than the beaten-down Bucs, but the recent success from the Atlanta Falcons shows promise that they can overcome the tougher matchup. With another win under their belt, it’s easy to picture the Falcons as a top contender for a playoff push. A home victory against the Vikings could really set the team’s chances in stone.