Dec. 19, 2003
GAME SNAPSHOT
KICKOFF: Saturday, 1:30 ET
SURFACE: Grass
TV: FOX, Sam Rosen, Bill Maas
SERIES: 21st meeting. Bucs lead 12-8, having beaten the Falcons 31-10 in Atlanta on Sept. 21. Tampa Bay has ruled the birds lately, winning the past six meetings. Since joining the NFC South with Atlanta last season, Tampa Bay has outscored the Falcons 85-26.
2003 RANKINGS: Falcons: offense 31st (15th rush, 31st pass); defense 32nd (30th rush, 32nd pass). Bucs: offense 11th (21st rush, 6th pass); defense 3rd (11th rush, 2nd pass)
KEYS TO THE GAME: The Bucs' offense has taken off the past two games with RB Thomas Jones in the lineup. He has more than 250 yards of offense in two starts, and is key to taking pressure off QB Brad Johnson. The Falcons have to do a solid job against the run because their secondary won't hold up if Johnson is able to throw in manageable passing situations. The Bucs are still beat up defensively, but were successful in boxing in Falcons QB Michael Vick in two meetings last season. Atlanta interim coach Wade Phillips said it is essentially for RB T.J. Duckett to carry the load early and take pressure of the Falcons' struggling passing game.
FAST FACTS: Falcons: Vick is averaging 8.9 yards in the past three games. ... TE Alge Crumpler needs seven receptions to pass Junior Miller (46) for the most catches by a tight end in a season in franchise history. Bucs: Johnson has already tied a career high with 22 touchdown passes. ... The defense leads the NFC by holding opponents to a 36.7 red-zone touchdown percentage (11 TDs in 30 trips).
PREDICTED SCORE: Buccaneers 27, Falcons 17
PERSONNEL NEWS
:
Falcons:
-- CB Juran Bolden practiced for the third straight day on Thursday, but interim Falcons coach Wade Phillips left him as doubtful for Saturday's game at Tampa Bay. It sure looks like Bolden (strained lower back) has a better chance than that of playing.
-- NT Ed Jasper went through his second straight practice Thursday, and said if his sprained right ankle and knee don't worsen, he expects to play for the Falcons on Saturday at Tampa Bay. Interim coach Wade Phillips, however, left Jasper as doubtful on the injury report.
-- RDE Brady Smith practiced again for the Falcons on Thursday, and his hyperextended right elbow shouldn't prevent him from playing Saturday at Tampa Bay.
-- CB Brandon Williams, a 5-foot-11, 186-pound rookie from Michigan, was signed to the Falcons' roster Thursday. He was undrafted out of college, and went to training camp with the Broncos. He has been out of football since he was waived from Denver's practice squad in mid-October.
-- OL Michael Saffer, whom the Falcons signed off the practice squad Tuesday, was waived Thursday to create a roster spot for CB Brandon Williams.
Bucs:
--DT Warren Sapp, who did not play last week due to a plantar fascia injury, practiced Thursday and will start against the Falcons in Saturday's home finale.
--TE Ken Dilger (hamstring) practiced Thursday and is expected to start against the Falcons.
--DT Anthony McFarland, who had one sack and a forced fumble playing in the three technique at under tackle last week against the Texans, will move back to nose tackle Saturday versus Atlanta.
--LB Derrick Brooks will likely be the player assigned to spy Falcons quarterback Michael Vick on Saturday.
--CB Ronde Barber was named a first alternate to the NFC Pro Bowl team.
INSIDE THE CAMPS
:
Falcons:
If Michael Vick is going to get on track as a passer, he couldn't have picked a worse team than Saturday's opponent to try.
In two starts last season against the Bucs (7-7), Vick completed just 16 of 37 passes for 142 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also was sacked four times, and didn't finish the first game as he injured his right shoulder when he was tackled by end Simeon Rice.
But the Falcons (3-11) probably feel a little better about this game than they did going into Indianapolis last week, or at least Vick does. He said his right ankle, which he broke Aug. 16, doesn't really hurt this week.
He couldn't say that last week. Vick missed practice Dec. 10, and was far more candid Thursday about how much he was in pain after rushing 14 times for 141 yards and a touchdown Dec. 7 against Carolina - his first start of the year.
"It almost felt like I broke it again," he said. "I hurt it, right on the fibula, so I tried to stay in the pocket as much as I could. That's the way I wanted to play."
Vick said all the right things after the Carolina game, that the hits he took didn't hurt him, that his ankle was a little sore, but he was going to keep playing his style. Then, against the Colts, he didn't play his style.
"I'm starting to realize that if I'm going to be out there, then I have to give 100 percent effort and if I can't go [that] week, then I can't go," said Vick. "It was kind of sore, but I wanted to be out there with my team.
"I can't be out there playing at 90 percent and say I'm going to sit in the pocket ... because that's not the way I play. I think when I do that I create problems for myself, and at the same time I'm not helping my team."
Meanwhile, Vick has had problems throwing in the past two games. He completed just 22 of 52 passes for 226 yards and two interceptions.
Ten of those passes were classified as "poor throws" by Stats Inc. Another four were defensed, five were batted at the line, and four were dropped.
Bucs:
The Bucs need help to avoid going from the Super Bowl to missing the postseason. But coach Jon Gruden hasn't memorized the playoff scenarios.
"Yeah, we're aware we need to win," Gruden said. "We're aware we need to win and we need help. But to sit around and call your friends and try to rally other teams to help you out is beside the point. We've got to take care of our business. We can still be one hell of a football team and not make the tournament. That's something you've got to think about a little bit also. We'd like to win and close the regular season in convincing fashion and that's the goal we have set for ourselves."
The Vikings, Seahawks and/or Cowboys need to lose both or at least one of their remaining games to improve the Bucs' wildcard chances. And Tampa Bay would have to beat the Falcons on Saturday and win at Tennessee Dec. 28. That would give them a 9-7 record and four straight wins to end the season.
"We've got to win. That's really the only thing that happens," quarterback Brad Johnson said. "I know what teams are playing, I kind of know what has to happen. But if we don't win, it doesn't matter. Take care of ourselves against Atlanta and Tennessee and maybe somebody falters.
"We still have a chance, that's all we can ask for. Unfortunately, we lost some close, close ballgames in some weird ways
GAME SNAPSHOT
KICKOFF: Saturday, 1:30 ET
SURFACE: Grass
TV: FOX, Sam Rosen, Bill Maas
SERIES: 21st meeting. Bucs lead 12-8, having beaten the Falcons 31-10 in Atlanta on Sept. 21. Tampa Bay has ruled the birds lately, winning the past six meetings. Since joining the NFC South with Atlanta last season, Tampa Bay has outscored the Falcons 85-26.
2003 RANKINGS: Falcons: offense 31st (15th rush, 31st pass); defense 32nd (30th rush, 32nd pass). Bucs: offense 11th (21st rush, 6th pass); defense 3rd (11th rush, 2nd pass)
KEYS TO THE GAME: The Bucs' offense has taken off the past two games with RB Thomas Jones in the lineup. He has more than 250 yards of offense in two starts, and is key to taking pressure off QB Brad Johnson. The Falcons have to do a solid job against the run because their secondary won't hold up if Johnson is able to throw in manageable passing situations. The Bucs are still beat up defensively, but were successful in boxing in Falcons QB Michael Vick in two meetings last season. Atlanta interim coach Wade Phillips said it is essentially for RB T.J. Duckett to carry the load early and take pressure of the Falcons' struggling passing game.
FAST FACTS: Falcons: Vick is averaging 8.9 yards in the past three games. ... TE Alge Crumpler needs seven receptions to pass Junior Miller (46) for the most catches by a tight end in a season in franchise history. Bucs: Johnson has already tied a career high with 22 touchdown passes. ... The defense leads the NFC by holding opponents to a 36.7 red-zone touchdown percentage (11 TDs in 30 trips).
PREDICTED SCORE: Buccaneers 27, Falcons 17
PERSONNEL NEWS
:
Falcons:
-- CB Juran Bolden practiced for the third straight day on Thursday, but interim Falcons coach Wade Phillips left him as doubtful for Saturday's game at Tampa Bay. It sure looks like Bolden (strained lower back) has a better chance than that of playing.
-- NT Ed Jasper went through his second straight practice Thursday, and said if his sprained right ankle and knee don't worsen, he expects to play for the Falcons on Saturday at Tampa Bay. Interim coach Wade Phillips, however, left Jasper as doubtful on the injury report.
-- RDE Brady Smith practiced again for the Falcons on Thursday, and his hyperextended right elbow shouldn't prevent him from playing Saturday at Tampa Bay.
-- CB Brandon Williams, a 5-foot-11, 186-pound rookie from Michigan, was signed to the Falcons' roster Thursday. He was undrafted out of college, and went to training camp with the Broncos. He has been out of football since he was waived from Denver's practice squad in mid-October.
-- OL Michael Saffer, whom the Falcons signed off the practice squad Tuesday, was waived Thursday to create a roster spot for CB Brandon Williams.
Bucs:
--DT Warren Sapp, who did not play last week due to a plantar fascia injury, practiced Thursday and will start against the Falcons in Saturday's home finale.
--TE Ken Dilger (hamstring) practiced Thursday and is expected to start against the Falcons.
--DT Anthony McFarland, who had one sack and a forced fumble playing in the three technique at under tackle last week against the Texans, will move back to nose tackle Saturday versus Atlanta.
--LB Derrick Brooks will likely be the player assigned to spy Falcons quarterback Michael Vick on Saturday.
--CB Ronde Barber was named a first alternate to the NFC Pro Bowl team.
INSIDE THE CAMPS
:
Falcons:
If Michael Vick is going to get on track as a passer, he couldn't have picked a worse team than Saturday's opponent to try.
In two starts last season against the Bucs (7-7), Vick completed just 16 of 37 passes for 142 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also was sacked four times, and didn't finish the first game as he injured his right shoulder when he was tackled by end Simeon Rice.
But the Falcons (3-11) probably feel a little better about this game than they did going into Indianapolis last week, or at least Vick does. He said his right ankle, which he broke Aug. 16, doesn't really hurt this week.
He couldn't say that last week. Vick missed practice Dec. 10, and was far more candid Thursday about how much he was in pain after rushing 14 times for 141 yards and a touchdown Dec. 7 against Carolina - his first start of the year.
"It almost felt like I broke it again," he said. "I hurt it, right on the fibula, so I tried to stay in the pocket as much as I could. That's the way I wanted to play."
Vick said all the right things after the Carolina game, that the hits he took didn't hurt him, that his ankle was a little sore, but he was going to keep playing his style. Then, against the Colts, he didn't play his style.
"I'm starting to realize that if I'm going to be out there, then I have to give 100 percent effort and if I can't go [that] week, then I can't go," said Vick. "It was kind of sore, but I wanted to be out there with my team.
"I can't be out there playing at 90 percent and say I'm going to sit in the pocket ... because that's not the way I play. I think when I do that I create problems for myself, and at the same time I'm not helping my team."
Meanwhile, Vick has had problems throwing in the past two games. He completed just 22 of 52 passes for 226 yards and two interceptions.
Ten of those passes were classified as "poor throws" by Stats Inc. Another four were defensed, five were batted at the line, and four were dropped.
Bucs:
The Bucs need help to avoid going from the Super Bowl to missing the postseason. But coach Jon Gruden hasn't memorized the playoff scenarios.
"Yeah, we're aware we need to win," Gruden said. "We're aware we need to win and we need help. But to sit around and call your friends and try to rally other teams to help you out is beside the point. We've got to take care of our business. We can still be one hell of a football team and not make the tournament. That's something you've got to think about a little bit also. We'd like to win and close the regular season in convincing fashion and that's the goal we have set for ourselves."
The Vikings, Seahawks and/or Cowboys need to lose both or at least one of their remaining games to improve the Bucs' wildcard chances. And Tampa Bay would have to beat the Falcons on Saturday and win at Tennessee Dec. 28. That would give them a 9-7 record and four straight wins to end the season.
"We've got to win. That's really the only thing that happens," quarterback Brad Johnson said. "I know what teams are playing, I kind of know what has to happen. But if we don't win, it doesn't matter. Take care of ourselves against Atlanta and Tennessee and maybe somebody falters.
"We still have a chance, that's all we can ask for. Unfortunately, we lost some close, close ballgames in some weird ways
