GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NFL: TAMPA BAY (5-4) at ATLANTA (3-6)

NFL: TAMPA BAY (5-4) at ATLANTA (3-6)

<h3>Buccaneers look to end post-bye struggles against Falcons</h3>



Tampa Bay (5-4) at Atlanta (3-6) Sunday 1:00 pm EST

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- In each of the last two seasons, theTampa Bay Buccaneers lost their first game following thebye week.


The Buccaneers look to end that trend Sunday, when they visitthe Atlanta Falcons in an NFC South contest.


Even without playing last week, the Buccaneers gained ground inthe standings as the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saintslost at home with a chance to move into a tie for first place inthe division.


Those results left Tampa Bay with a one-game lead over Carolina(4-5) and New Orleans (4-5) in the NFC South heading into thefinal seven weeks of the season.


The Buccaneers are trying to become the fifth straight NFC Southteam to go from last place one season to first place the next.

"There were some real surprises going on in pro football in thefirst half of the season, and that means there will probably besome in the second half of the season," Tampa Bay coach JonGruden said.


"We would like to be one of those surprise teams. All you can doreally is control what you can control. That is preparing,practicing, and getting ready to play your best."


In their last game before the bye week, the Buccaneers snapped atwo-game slide with a 17-10 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

Tampa Bay held the ball for 43:07 - the highest time ofpossession for a regulation game in franchise history - andlimited the Cardinals to 23 yards rushing.


The Buccaneers rushed for 162 yards, led by Earnest Graham, whogained 124 yards on 34 carries for his first career 100-yardgame.


Following Michael Vick's suspension after pleading guilty tofederal dogfighting charges, the Falcons dropped six of theirfirst seven games and appeared to be one of the league'sworst teams.


But Atlanta has rebounded to win its last two contests and wouldclimb within one game of first place in a weak division with awin over the Panthers.


In last week's 20-13 win over the Panthers, Joey Harringtontossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Alge Crumpler with 20 secondsremaining after briefly getting knocked out of the game.

Tampa Bay was swept by Atlanta last season, failing to score atouchdown in either game. The Buccaneers lost 14-3 in Atlanta and17-6 at Tampa.

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 0
ATLANTA 0 14:53 LEFT, 1ST QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 26 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 0
ATLANTA 0 12:45 LEFT, 1ST QTR

TAM BALL ON TAM 15 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 0
ATLANTA 0 11:07 LEFT, 1ST QTR

ATL BALL AT MIDFIELD
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 0
ATLANTA 0 9:35 LEFT, 1ST QTR

TAM BALL ON TAM 13 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 0
ATLANTA 0 8:55 LEFT, 1ST QTR

ATL BALL ON TAM 31 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 0
ATLANTA 0 8:45 LEFT, 1ST QTR

TAM BALL ON TAM 28 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL TD TAM
JOEY GALLOWAY 44 YD PASS FROM JEFF GARCIA
(MATT BRYANT KICK)

TAMPA BAY 7
ATLANTA 0 7:43 LEFT, 1ST QTR</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 7
ATLANTA 0 7:32 LEFT, 1ST QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 29 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 7
ATLANTA 0 2:01 LEFT, 1ST QTR

TAM BALL ON TAM 35 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
TAMPA BAY 7 7
ATLANTA 0 0 END, 1ST QTR

SCORING SUMMARY

1ST QUARTER: TAM - TD, JOEY GALLOWAY 44 YD PASS FROM JEFF
GARCIA (MATT BRYANT KICK), 7:17.
Drive: 3 plays, 72 yards in 1:02.
Key plays: Ruud 5-yard interception
return to Tampa Bay 28; Garcia
7-yard pass to Smith plus 15-yard
roughing the passer penalty on
Falcons' Abraham to Atlanta 44.
TAMPA BAY 7-0</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL TAMPA BAY 7
ATLANTA 0 14:52 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 7
ATLANTA 0 14:42 LEFT, 2ND QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 26 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 7
ATLANTA 0 13:04 LEFT, 2ND QTR

TAM BALL ON TAM 19 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 7
ATLANTA 0 11:07 LEFT, 2ND QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 38 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL TD TAM
RONDE BARBER 41 YD FUMBLE RETURN
(MATT BRYANT KICK)

TAMPA BAY 14
ATLANTA 0 10:42 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 14
ATLANTA 0 10:35 LEFT, 2ND QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 38 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL TAMPA BAY 14
ATLANTA 0 9:39 LEFT, 2ND QTR</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL
TAMPA BAY 14
ATLANTA 0 9:39 LEFT, 2ND QTR

ATL BALL ON ATL 42 YD LINE
1ST AND 10</div>

 

NFL: TAMPA BAY at ATLANTA

<div class="pre">NFL TAMPA BAY AT ATLANTA
NOTE: JACKSONVILLE CB RASHEAN MATHIS LEFT THE GAME WITH
A LEG STRAIN. HIS RETURN IS QUESTIONABLE.</div>