Scouting Report: Buccaneers at Falcons

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The biggest story of the week around the Falcons practice facility had nothing to do with the team's upcoming opponent. It was internal news that ruled as the squad kept an eye on the health of quarterback Byron Leftwich, who started his first game for the team Oct. 21 only to be injured the same day.

Head Coach Bobby Petrino fielded questions on Leftwich and quarterback Joey Harrington throughout the week and said Friday that he would make a decision before the team arrives at the Georgia Dome Sunday to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-4).

In the meantime, Harrington was asked to prepare as if he's starting his third-straight game.

"He needs to prepare like he always does this week in practice because we don't know who's going to start," Petrino said Thursday. "It was normal preparation for him -- prepare as if you're going to be the starter and we have to see what the week brings."

With that, the Falcons gear up for the Bucs, who lead the division by a game over New Orleans and Carolina and by just two games over the Falcons (3-6).

It's an important game for Atlanta against arguably the team's biggest rival.

“We play them twice a year and those games, the majority of the time, are hard fought, physical and come down to the wire," linebacker Keith Brooking said.
"Geographically we’re very close to one another. That’s our division, period. You look at our division -- Tampa, Carolina, New Orleans -- those games are always hard fought… I would probably say in Tampa there’s a little more there. I definitely look forward to playing those guys.”

ON THE GROUND: The Falcons, winners of two straight, have had recent success in the ground game despite an injury to backup running back Jerious Norwood. Norwood hurt his ankle two weeks ago and missed last week's game at Carolina.

Veteran Warrick Dunn responded, however, by carrying the load and inching ever closer to a gigantic personal milestone.

With 58 rushing yards against the Buccaneers (his former team) Dunn will reach the 10,000-yard mark for his 11-year career. The Falcons will likely need that type of production on the ground against Tampa Bay, which boast one of the league's more ferocious defenses.

“He’s going to get the 10,000. There’s no question," Petrino said this week when asked about Dunn. We would love for him to get it this weekend. He’s been the guy that’s kind of been carrying us... It’s amazing. Running back longevity in this league is hard because they’re the ones that take all the collisions. To be able to play that long and be that productive is an amazing feat.”

Dunn has just one 100-yard rushing game against the Bucs (134 yards on Sept. 17, 2006). He'll look to change that against a defense ranked 18th against the run (113.2 yards per game). That stat doesn't necessarily match the team's defensive star power, as linebacker Barrett Ruud (109 tackles) is ranked in the league's top-10 in stops.

"Their linebackers are real fast," Petrino said. "They run to the ball and do a nice job not only in the run game but in coverage. Their front four is very solid; they rotate a lot of guys in there."

Tampa, on the other hand, will look to establish the 15th-ranked rushing offense in order to keep the ball out of the Falcons' feathers. But it's been a tough year for the Bucs on the ground as starting running back Cadillac Williams was lost for the season.

Earnest Graham responded, though, and now leads the team with 454 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

The Falcons have a veteran advantage of the Buccaneers offensive line which, outside of 10-year veteran John Wade, has a combined six years of NFL experience.

THROUGH THE AIR: Always the comedian, Falcons defensive tackle Rod Coleman rarely talks without passing on at least one nugget of humor. It took to the end of a Wednesday interview, but he eloquently described what the Falcons will face in Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia come Sunday.

“I played against him a while back," Coleman said. "You just have to stay active and keep putting pressure on him. It’s hard to get sacks so you just keep pressure on him. Some guys are shifty and get out and run. Some guys run when they have to. Some guys run to create space to pass the ball. There are all different styles of mobile quarterbacks. I like the ones that can’t run myself.”

The veteran tackle led the Falcons with two sacks last week and has more sacks than any other active, interior lineman since 2001.

With injuries to Williams and a young offensive line Garcia -- a free-agent acquisition by the Bucs last offseason -- has helped carry the offense. Through nine games Garcia has 1,967 passing yards and nine touchdown passes. Five of those scores have gone to veteran Joey Galloway.

Garcia draws a defense this week that has 17 takeaways since Week 5.

"They just play an aggressive style," Garcia said Wednesday of the Falcons defense. "They have quality players that are doing a great job of putting pressure on the quarterback. They do a great job of creating turnovers to create an advantage of their offense."

The Falcons offense -- led by Leftwich or Harrington -- will see a pass defense ranked third in the NFL in yards allowed and is led by veteran cornerback Ronde Barber (31 career interceptions) and linebacker Derrick Brooks (70 tackles, three forced fumbles). A wild card for Sunday's game however may come along the Bucs defensive line, which has rookie Gaines Adams and a quiet veteran force in Kevin Carter who can play tackle and end and is third among active players with 99.5 career sacks.

"They're an aggressive group," wide receiver Michael Jenkins said. "They have a lot of young talent over there. They play hard (and) with a lot of effort."

The Falcons look to counter with equal intensity.

"It’s a huge game," Leftwich said when asked about the division implications. "Everyone knows this time of year that every football game is huge. Nobody is out of it. We understand... Every guy that’s a veteran in this league understands the way this thing rolls.”

SPECIALTIES: Adam Jennings' fourth-quarter punt return that set up the game-winning touchdown at Carolina last week was a step in the right direction for a Falcons special teams unit that has shown steady improvement throughout the season.

The team will meet an equally young and aggressive unit Sunday at the Dome, however.

Tampa Bay ranks second in the NFL in kickoff return yards allowed (17.4 yards per game). The Bucs also have cornerback and career return veteran Phillip Buchanon on the roster.

In the kicking game the Bucs have Matt Bryant, who has the second-longest walk-off field goal in NFL history. He's connected on 13 of 17 attempts this season including a game-winner against the Tennessee Titans.

SHUFFLING THE CARDS: Beyond the quarterback situation, the Falcons may have some injury-related decisions to make come Sunday. Wide receiver Joe Horn (hamstring) hasn't practiced all week after missing the Carolina game. Laurent Robinson would likely fill in for the veteran again in the lineup if he's unable to play.

Norwood practiced more than once this week and appears to be on his way to a full recovery after tweaking his ankle Nov. 4. If he's unable to go, the team called up Jason Snelling earlier in the week. The rookie joins Artose Pinner as a capable backup to Dunn.

• RELATED: Falcons-Bucs Injury Report

TALE OF THE TAPE: Some stats to consider as the Falcons welcome the Buccaneers to the Dome.

NUMBERS, NOTES AND COLORS: Some digits, thoughts and colors to get you reday for the Bucs game...

• The Falcons will be in red jerseys for Sunday's game.
• Three Falcons grew up in Florida -- Todd Weiner, Stephen Nicholas and Jenkins.
• John Abraham has 10 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles in three career meetings against the Bucs.
• Gruden is 6-3 as a head coach after the bye week.
• The Buccaneers are still the only team in the NFL without a kickoff return for a touchdown in team history.
• Rookie cornerback David Irons moved into a tie for the lead in special teams tackles last week (seven). All of his tackles are solo stops.
• Abraham is fourth on the team with four passes defensed.
• Safety Chris Crocker turned heads with his shoe-string stop of Vernon Davis two weeks ago. Turns out, 76.7 percent of his tackles are solo stops this season.
• Last week's opening-drive touchdown was the first of the season for the Falcons.
• Tight end Alge Crumpler has caught at least one pass in his last 70 games.