The 2-7 Falcons will face the 1-8 Buccaneers in Tampa Bay at 1 p.m. Here are some facts and tidbits about the matchup:
- Sunday marks the 41st meeting between the two division foes and the second of two games this season.
- Atlanta tied the all-time series at 20 wins each with a 31-23 win over Tampa Bay at the Georgia Dome in Week 7.
- The Falcons have won eight of the last 10 meetings between the two clubs and own an 8-3 record against the Buccaneers under head coach Mike Smith.
- The Buccaneers enter Sunday's game coming off of a 22-19 win over the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football. Tampa Bay rushed for 140 yards while holding the Dolphins to just two yards on the ground en route to the first win of the season.
- Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson has caught 46 passes for 662 yards with four touchdowns. He has notched five receptions of 25-or-more yards, including a 59-yard touchdown reception.
- WR Roddy White returned to the Falcons lineup in Week 10. The nine-year veteran is the fifth player in NFL history to record three consecutive seasons with 90 receptions and 1,200 yards.
- QB Matt Ryan has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 15 straight games dating back to 2012.
- Heading into this game, TE Tony Gonzalez has an active streak of 204 games with a reception.
- QB Matt Ryan finished Atlanta's Week 7 win over Tampa Bay with a career-high 148.4 passer rating after completing 20 of 26 passes for 273 with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Ryan has led the Falcons to a 34-2 record when his passer rating is 100-or-higher. Ryan's QB rating in Week 7 was the second best single-game performance in franchise history.
- RB Jacquizz Rodgers caught a pair of touchdowns in the last meeting between the Falcons and Buccaneers. Rodgers scored multiple touchdowns in back-to-back games after rushing for a pair of scores against the Jets in Week 5.
- The Falcons offense has benefited greatly from it's versatile running backs as five of Ryan's 16 touchdown passes have been caught by running backs, including two by both Rodgers and RB Jason Snelling.
- TE Tony Gonzalez is three catches shy of joining WR Jerry Rice as the only players in NFL history with 16 50-catch seasons.
- CB Desmond Trufant ranks second among all rookie cornerbacks and leads NFC rookie corners in passes defensed.
- According to Stats LLC, LB Paul Worrilow's 19 tackles are the second-most in a single game this season behind Buffalo's LB Kiko Alonso, which was credited with 22 stops in an October 13th game against Cincinnati. Additionally, Worrilow and Dallas LB Sean Lee are the only players to post two games with 16-or-more tackles.
- Atlanta has allowed just 7.6 yards per punt return, which ranks among the NFL leaders this season. Much of Atlanta's success in the return game has come from top-tier gunners WR Drew Davis and RB Antone Smith. Davis and Smith have combined to make 13 special teams tackles while forcing opponents to settle for 10 fair catches with 11 of P Matt Bosher's kicks landing inside the 20.
- RB Steven Jackson leads active players with 10,289 rush yards. Jackson is aiming for 4th game in a row vs. Tampa Bay with 100 rush yards or touchdown.
- WR Harry Douglas aims for third game in a row against Tampa Bay with a touchdown. In last meeting, Douglas had 7 catches for 149-yards and a touchdown.
