Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons
Georgia Dome
1300 EST / 1800 GMT Sun 20 Nov
FOX (US) / Sky Sports (UK)
Why it matters
Six teams from each conference go through to the end-of-season playoffs, and Atlanta and Tampa Bay look to be competing for a single spot. With Carolina, many people's tip for the Super Bowl, at the top of the NFC South Division, these two are fighting for a wildcard spot among the best-placed runners-up. Unlike English soccer, head-to-head record rather than points difference is the first tie-breaker if they finish with equal records, and division record also plays a part so this match, and the teams' next meeting on Christmas Eve, count more than most.
Team talking points
These two sides should not be sharing the same 6-3 record. Atlanta were a game away from the Super Bowl last year but have been horribly inconsistent this season, handing Green Bay just their second win last weekend. Meanwhile the Buccs, Super Bowl Champions three seasons ago, have undergone major rebuilding and still do not look the sort of side that should be challenging.
Quarterback Michael Vick's inconsistency is becoming a major factor for the Falcons, who are ranked 28th in the 32-team league in passing. Generally considered the best athlete in the league, and certainly the most marketable, Vick is being asked by second-year coach Jim Mora Jr to fit the conventional quarterback mould, and it is one he seems to be bridling against. Part of the problem is the lack of people to throw to. Brian Finneran is his main target among the receivers but the most dependable target is tight end Algie Crumpler, who really should be a second option most of the time.
Coach John Gruden (nicknamed Chucky because he bears a frightening resemblance to the doll in the Child's Play horror movies) will remain under fire until he takes the Buccaneers back to the Super Bowl, which he achieved in his first season with the club. Since then the salary cap, which restricts each team to spending no more than $85.5m (£49.26m) in 2006, has restricted their ability to bring in new stars. Add to that the season-ending knee injury suffered by quarterback Brian Griese and you have a team that should be in turmoil. Instead they have rallied, behind a running corps of Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, Michael Pittman and Mike Alstott, and the passing of youngster Chris Simms.
Star players
Warrick Dunn, #28 , RB, Falcons
Atlanta were the leading team in the league in terms of rushing yardage last year thanks to the trio known as DVD. Vick's running is almost more influential than his passing, Dunn offers speed and sharp moves and TJ Duckett bashes through the middle. This season, opposing defenses have grown wise to Vick, who is on course to make just two-thirds of the yardage he managed on the ground last year, and Duckett has been nursing an ankle injury. Step forward Dunn, who is the major reason Atlanta are still ranked top in rushing as he is third in the league individually with 862 yards after nine games. That puts him on course to top 1,500 for the season – 1,000 is considered an achievement. At 180 lbs, Dunn is the size of a wide receiver, but he seems to elude defenders by sneaking through the big men, both those aiming for him and those blocking for him.
Joey Galloway #84, WR, Buccaneers
A Dallas Cowboys cast-off at the start of last season, Galloway is standing out this season for the Buccs, partly because of fellow wideout Michael Clayton's struggles with knee trouble but also because he has clearly become a favourite target of new boy Simms. In the last four games, Galloway have averaged 114.8 yards – 100 is very good - and he is the third-best receiver in the league in terms of yardage this season. If the last four weeks are anything to go by, you can guarantee one momentum-shifting long pass play from Simms to Galloway, whose blazing speed has seen him average almost a touchdown a match.
What to look for
Michael Vick. It does not matter what he is doing, Vick is the most watchable player on the field for the Falcons. He may not be that accurate but he zips the ball left-handed with the sort of speed that takes the skin off receivers' hands. If there is no receiver open, he will happily take off on foot. At 4.3 secs over 40 yards, he is faster than many receivers and if he is able to run forwards he creates the sort of indecision in defenses that wins the Falcons games. Teams have taken to bottling him up in the backfield rather than trying to bring him down, which makes things less fun but on Vick's shoulders the Falcons fortunes still rest.
Tampa Bay will establish the run, whether through Williams - this season's first-round draft pick who is coming back from a foot injury – Pittman, who is struggling with shoulder trouble, or Alstott, who looks like a human battering ram and can be guaranteed to come through in short yardage situations. The key, though, will be Simms, who has had a girl-with-a-curl kind of season so far. When he is good he is very good, with accuracy to match his father Phil, who won two Super Bowl rings with the New York Giants. When he is hustled out of his natural game – and the Falcons defense are great hustlers - he can still implode. If Simms fires consistently, the Buccs win.
Tip
There are so many ifs and buts, but if you have to back one, back Tampa Bay 31-24.
Interesting trivia
Warwick Dunn was taken as the 12th pick of the 1997 college draft by the Buccaneers and spent his first five seasons in Tampa before moving to Atlanta, in the season Buccs won the Super Bowl.
Williams as been known as "Cadillac" since his time at Etowah High School in Attala, Alabama, where team-mates marvelled at how smoothly he ran.
Marcus Vick is currently starring at his older brother's alma mater Virginia Tech, who were considered national Championship contenders until their defeat to the University of Miami a fortnight ago. This weekend the Hokies travel to local rivals Virginia. With his consistency and patience, some have even suggested the better Vick brother has not turned professional yet.
1300 EST / 1800 GMT Sun 20 Nov
FOX (US) / Sky Sports (UK)
Why it matters
Six teams from each conference go through to the end-of-season playoffs, and Atlanta and Tampa Bay look to be competing for a single spot. With Carolina, many people's tip for the Super Bowl, at the top of the NFC South Division, these two are fighting for a wildcard spot among the best-placed runners-up. Unlike English soccer, head-to-head record rather than points difference is the first tie-breaker if they finish with equal records, and division record also plays a part so this match, and the teams' next meeting on Christmas Eve, count more than most.
Team talking points
These two sides should not be sharing the same 6-3 record. Atlanta were a game away from the Super Bowl last year but have been horribly inconsistent this season, handing Green Bay just their second win last weekend. Meanwhile the Buccs, Super Bowl Champions three seasons ago, have undergone major rebuilding and still do not look the sort of side that should be challenging.
Quarterback Michael Vick's inconsistency is becoming a major factor for the Falcons, who are ranked 28th in the 32-team league in passing. Generally considered the best athlete in the league, and certainly the most marketable, Vick is being asked by second-year coach Jim Mora Jr to fit the conventional quarterback mould, and it is one he seems to be bridling against. Part of the problem is the lack of people to throw to. Brian Finneran is his main target among the receivers but the most dependable target is tight end Algie Crumpler, who really should be a second option most of the time.
Coach John Gruden (nicknamed Chucky because he bears a frightening resemblance to the doll in the Child's Play horror movies) will remain under fire until he takes the Buccaneers back to the Super Bowl, which he achieved in his first season with the club. Since then the salary cap, which restricts each team to spending no more than $85.5m (£49.26m) in 2006, has restricted their ability to bring in new stars. Add to that the season-ending knee injury suffered by quarterback Brian Griese and you have a team that should be in turmoil. Instead they have rallied, behind a running corps of Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, Michael Pittman and Mike Alstott, and the passing of youngster Chris Simms.
Star players
Warrick Dunn, #28 , RB, Falcons
Atlanta were the leading team in the league in terms of rushing yardage last year thanks to the trio known as DVD. Vick's running is almost more influential than his passing, Dunn offers speed and sharp moves and TJ Duckett bashes through the middle. This season, opposing defenses have grown wise to Vick, who is on course to make just two-thirds of the yardage he managed on the ground last year, and Duckett has been nursing an ankle injury. Step forward Dunn, who is the major reason Atlanta are still ranked top in rushing as he is third in the league individually with 862 yards after nine games. That puts him on course to top 1,500 for the season – 1,000 is considered an achievement. At 180 lbs, Dunn is the size of a wide receiver, but he seems to elude defenders by sneaking through the big men, both those aiming for him and those blocking for him.
Joey Galloway #84, WR, Buccaneers
A Dallas Cowboys cast-off at the start of last season, Galloway is standing out this season for the Buccs, partly because of fellow wideout Michael Clayton's struggles with knee trouble but also because he has clearly become a favourite target of new boy Simms. In the last four games, Galloway have averaged 114.8 yards – 100 is very good - and he is the third-best receiver in the league in terms of yardage this season. If the last four weeks are anything to go by, you can guarantee one momentum-shifting long pass play from Simms to Galloway, whose blazing speed has seen him average almost a touchdown a match.
What to look for
Michael Vick. It does not matter what he is doing, Vick is the most watchable player on the field for the Falcons. He may not be that accurate but he zips the ball left-handed with the sort of speed that takes the skin off receivers' hands. If there is no receiver open, he will happily take off on foot. At 4.3 secs over 40 yards, he is faster than many receivers and if he is able to run forwards he creates the sort of indecision in defenses that wins the Falcons games. Teams have taken to bottling him up in the backfield rather than trying to bring him down, which makes things less fun but on Vick's shoulders the Falcons fortunes still rest.
Tampa Bay will establish the run, whether through Williams - this season's first-round draft pick who is coming back from a foot injury – Pittman, who is struggling with shoulder trouble, or Alstott, who looks like a human battering ram and can be guaranteed to come through in short yardage situations. The key, though, will be Simms, who has had a girl-with-a-curl kind of season so far. When he is good he is very good, with accuracy to match his father Phil, who won two Super Bowl rings with the New York Giants. When he is hustled out of his natural game – and the Falcons defense are great hustlers - he can still implode. If Simms fires consistently, the Buccs win.
Tip
There are so many ifs and buts, but if you have to back one, back Tampa Bay 31-24.
Interesting trivia
Warwick Dunn was taken as the 12th pick of the 1997 college draft by the Buccaneers and spent his first five seasons in Tampa before moving to Atlanta, in the season Buccs won the Super Bowl.
Williams as been known as "Cadillac" since his time at Etowah High School in Attala, Alabama, where team-mates marvelled at how smoothly he ran.
Marcus Vick is currently starring at his older brother's alma mater Virginia Tech, who were considered national Championship contenders until their defeat to the University of Miami a fortnight ago. This weekend the Hokies travel to local rivals Virginia. With his consistency and patience, some have even suggested the better Vick brother has not turned professional yet.
posted by MG at
10:38 PM
1 Comments:
Joey Galloway was anonymous, and Chris Simms continued his inconsisent form, but the Buccaneers still came through thanks to Cadillac Williams' return to form and impressive plays from the defense when it mattered.
After a woeful start, Michael Vick passed for over 300 yards for just the third time in his career, surpressing his scrambling instinct and showing rare patience. With TJ Duckett back to complete the DVD triumvirate, deep pass routes were opened up and the Falcons' two young receivers, Ronnie White and Michael Jenkins, took advantage impressively.
But the key play was Vick's fumble with 1min 26secs remaining, not solely his fault but indicating a worrying trend for the Falcs, who also lost the ball for the opening touchdown.
By
MG, at 9:39 PM
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