Rich Mckay Chief Executive Officer – Ambse; Chief Executive Officer – Atlanta Falcons | Atlanta Falcons Website
Rich Mckay Chief Executive Officer – Ambse; Chief Executive Officer – Atlanta Falcons | Atlanta Falcons Website
The Atlanta Falcons have secured a notable victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, resulting in a 31-26 win. This achievement marks the first time in ten years that the Falcons have started 4-0 against NFC South opponents.
"There was a little bit more urgency this week with it being a divisional opponent," said safety Jessie Bates III. "The Bucs are defending NFC South champs for the last — what? — three years. We knew the mindset was to come in here and take it from them."
This undefeated start is only the second occurrence since the NFC South's inception in 2002. The last time was in 2014 when Atlanta began their divisional games with four straight wins but ended that season with an overall record of 6-10. Their first instance of such a start came in 2010, culminating in a No. 1 seed position, though they were later eliminated during the playoffs' divisional round.
With this latest win, Atlanta holds a season record of 5-3 while Tampa Bay stands at 4-4. As it stands, Atlanta leads within their division as midseason approaches, having beaten Tampa twice and holding a tie-breaker advantage should both teams finish with identical records.
Looking forward, if the Falcons maintain their current trajectory, they could secure their first playoff appearance since 2017. The team’s rallying cry "Outrun the South" has been echoed throughout this campaign and remains relevant as they continue to outpace rivals within their division.
Atlanta's next challenge against an NFC South rival comes on November 10th when they visit New Orleans to face off against the Saints. They will conclude their divisional schedule by hosting Carolina Panthers during Week 17. Another victory would extend their unbeaten streak to five games against division foes, reminiscent of their performance back in 2014.
Despite these achievements, head coach Raheem Morris emphasized continued focus: "We got to go out there, and we got to keep applying pressure and keep going," he stated regarding maintaining momentum throughout upcoming matches.
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