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BUCCANEERS vs. FALCONS

WHEN: Thursday, December 11, 2025 | WHERE: Raymond James Stadium | KICKOFF: 8:15 p.m. ET | TV: Prime Video

PLAY-BY-PLAY: Al Michaels | ANALYST: Kirk Herbstreit | SIDELINE: Kaylee Hartung

RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Gene Deckerhoff | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: T.J. Rives

Game day is approaching, and it’s time for the Pewter Report staff to make its weekly game predictions and offer up our game preview of this week’s matchup. Let us know what you think in the article comments section and add your prediction, too.

Scott Reynolds: Creamsicle Curse Continues In Tampa Bay

The Bucs have struggled to win in primetime under Todd Bowles, and have certainly struggled against Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, who carved up Tampa Bay’s defense to the tune of over 800 yards and eight touchdowns in two Atlanta wins last year. And the fact that the Bucs are donning the creamsicle uniforms doesn’t help, either. Tampa Bay has only won one throwback game – one! – and that was the initial game breaking out the orange jerseys again back in 2009. So I don’t like how the stage is set for this one on Thursday Night Football.

Falcons QB Kirk Cousins – Photo by: USA Today

Oh, throw in the fact that the Bucs are reeling from an embarrassing home loss to the Saints, 24-20, on Sunday and I think any mojo this team, which is 1-4 since the bye week, had is gone. I expect the middle of the field to be wide open again for Cousins to pick apart – like he did twice last year, and like Saints QB Tyler Shough did last week. And I expect Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier to have a big day on the ground and through the air, as a lot of running backs have been able to do against Todd Bowles’ defense this year. And why does underachieving tight end Kyle Pitts always seem to shine versus Tampa Bay?

Offensively, Josh Grizzard’s unit should receive a boost from the return of left tackle Tristan Wirfs – but more importantly from the return of wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan. The question is how much rust do they need to shake off to perform well enough to pick up first downs and put up points against the Falcons?

Tampa Bay’s ground game needs to take some pressure off struggling quarterback Baker Mayfield, and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka needs to hang on to the ball better in order for the Bucs to win. I’m just not sure that happens … unless the team can somehow get some Bucco Bruce mojo to carry over from the two wins in the 1976 uniforms earlier this season.

REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Falcons 30, Bucs 26
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 9-4

Matt Matera: Bucs Don’t Blow Their Spot In The Division Just Yet

Coming into this game, each team is playing awful football. There’s no reason to beat around the bush. This is the exact time, though, where the 7-6 Bucs put together a winning streak and find a way to win their division. Tonight starts that push against a 4-9 Falcons team that has already been eliminated from the playoffs.

How much of an impact will the return of Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan provide for the Bucs offense? Hopefully enough. Tampa Bay has struggled to throw the ball specifically. But giving the Falcons another thing to worry about with Evans should open things up for Emeka Egbuka specifically and Bucky Irving in the running game.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: USA Today

It’s laughable thinking about how Kirk Cousins can struggle against the rest of the league and yet dominate the Bucs. Will it happen again? Maybe not 500 plus yards, but I don’t trust Todd Bowles to put together a proper defense. And not having safety Tykee Smith doesn’t help. The difference this year, though, is that the Bucs somehow find more ways to create takeaways on defense. And that might be enough for them to win.

MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 31, Falcons 23
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 9-4

Adam Slivon: Bucs Find A Way To Beat Falcons In Primetime

I would not find it surprising for many to count this team out with the way the Bucs have played since the bye week. To predict a loss wearing the bad luck creamsicle uniforms in primetime, only to see the rest of the season snowball for Tampa Bay. While much of the play over the past five games has been uninspiring, if there ever were a time for the tide to turn, it would be now.

For all of the talk about this being the beginning of the end, this is still a group in control of its own destiny. Much of the reason for that stems from playing in the NFC South and having the opportunity to play the 4-9 Falcons.

Bucs WRs Emeka Egbuka and Mike Evans – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

What is obviously of great concern is facing Kirk Cousins again. Cousins, the 37-year-old quarterback, is back as the starter with Michael Penix Jr. out for the season. Everyone remembers him throwing for 785 yards with eight touchdowns to just one interception in two games against the Bucs last year. Cousins is not the same kind of player he was for many years in Washington and Minnesota, but he enters Thursday night’s game with experience and success facing Todd Bowles’ defense.

There will be no Drake London, but Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts present their own unique challenges. Tampa Bay’s run defense has regressed, while Pitts has his biggest games going against a unit lacking much of a presence in the middle of the field.

Offensively, the returns of Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan provide a spark, even if they will be limited coming back from significant injuries. Anything will help, especially in getting Baker Mayfield back to his early-season form. Mayfield will have all four of his starting wide receivers for the first time, but three are not 100% and the fourth has struggled to catch passes after a hot start. Something has to give, and Atlanta has its own documented problems as they attempt to finish the year playing spoiler.

Anything can happen, but I predict this game to feature a thrilling, late-game finish in which Tampa Bay finds a way to pull it off.

SLIVON’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 27, Falcons 24
SLIVON’S SEASON RECORD: 9-4

Bailey Adams: Things Continue To Spiral For The Bucs In Primetime

I so badly want to do the whole “definition of insanity” thing here and keep believing that this Bucs team is going to kick it into high gear and go on a strong run to finish the 2025 season with another NFC South title and a sixth straight playoff berth. But I’m having a really hard time putting my faith in them heading into this matchup. I know it’s been the general mood this week and it’s somehow become a broken record within the span of four days, but it’s a primetime game in the creamsicle uniforms against Kirk Cousins. What on earth could go wrong?

Falcons QB Kirk Cousins – Photo by: USA Today

Maybe I’m putting too much stock into what Cousins did to the Bucs last year, or maybe I just saw what Tyler Shough and the Saints did four days ago when they came to Tampa and find myself believing that Cousins can take the easy throws all night long and continue to haunt the Bucs despite this Falcons team having nothing much to play for. Not to mention, Bijan Robinson is a major threat as a runner, yes, but what he can do as a pass-catcher out of the backfield terrifies me more right now considering where Tampa Bay’s defense is at its weakest.

And as many questions as I have about this defense’s ability to stop Cousins and the Atlanta offense, I’m also not sure how I can put any belief into what the Buccaneer offense is doing right now. The run game has improved, which is great, but Baker Mayfield and the passing game have been broken for weeks. And while Mike Evans’ return was almost enough to make me go against my brain and pick the Bucs to win this one, I’m not sure it’ll be enough.

Tampa Bay suffers another devastating loss in primetime and the spiral continues.

ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Falcons 27, Bucs 23
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 9-4

Josh Queipo: Mike Evans Gives Bucs Hope Again

For all the excitement Emeka Egbuka has brought Tampa Bay this year, and all the discussion about him being able to play all three positions, he is misappropriated as an X. A true X receiver can still thrive working with brackets and against man coverage. Egbuka has played incredibly well against zone but has struggled to beat man – as have most of the Bucs’ receivers this year.

Bucs WR Mike Evans Photo by: USA Today

That is why Mike Evans’ return to the offense is a big deal. And as big of a deal as you may think it is, it’s probably bigger. Evans uses his large frame and extended catch radius to pick up easy buckets via quick slants and speed cuts. He can beat man coverage and succeed against brackets. He is what the offense has been missing. Just his mere presence should elevate every other eligible on the offense and give Baker Mayfield more confidence to trust the operation around him. That should elevate Baker’s lackluster play back to the levels he is more than capable of playing at.

Expect offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard to dish out some plays he’s had in his back pocket awaiting Evans’ return to pair with a run game that has been good for over a month. Just getting the rhythmic quick game back to functional will help create longer drives and more points.

On defense, the Bucs played a quality game against the Falcons the last time around. Michael Penix Jr. made some unbelievable plays to avoid sacks. I don’t think Kirk Cousins can move that well to accomplish the same feat. But his time to throw will be a problem. Keeping quick-throwing windows closed and avoiding missed tackles will be the key to prevent Atlanta from going toe-to-toe with what I think will be a resurging offense will be key.

QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 31, Falcons 20
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 8-5