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BUCCANEERS vs. FALCONS

WHEN: Sunday, November 1, 2026 | WHERE: Raymond James Stadium | KICKOFF: 1:00 p.m. ET | TV: FOX

PLAY-BY-PLAY: Mark Followill | ANALYST: Daryl Johnston | SIDELINE: Allison Williams

RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Tony Castricone | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: Jay Recher

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: Bucs Offense Bogs Down In The Rain

The forecast for Sunday’s Bucs vs. Falcons game at Raymond James Stadium is about 95% of rain – and possible thunderstorms. We’ve already seen the Bucs lose a game with a two hour and 12 minute lightning delay in Week 2 against the Browns when they blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. And we saw Tampa Bay lose to New Orleans in a rain-soaked game late last year. If the weather were better I’d like the chances of the Buccaneers prevailing.

Falcons TE Kyle Pitts and Bucs CB Kindle Vildor – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

But I don’t how Baker Mayfield is going to play with a wet glove and how that is going to affect his passes and even taking snaps under center. What I do know know is that Atlanta has a top 5 rushing defense and Tampa Bay is not going to have anywhere near the same amount of success as it did last week when the team ran the ball down Carolina’s throat.

I do know Atlanta’s passing game is head and shoulders better than Tampa Bay’s right now, and the Bucs defense has trouble keeping opposing tight ends out of the end zone. Cue another big game for Kyle Pitts, who had 11 catches for 166 yards and three TDs in last year’s 29-28 win over the Bucs.

I also know that the Falcons’ win last week over the previously unbeaten 49ers was more impressive than the Bucs’ win over what’s turning out to be a bad Panthers team. And Atlanta has won in Tampa Bay in each of the last three seasons, so there is plenty of confidence in the Falcons locker room right now. This should be another close game, and we know how Todd Bowles’ team typically fares in close games. They don’t usually end well.

REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Falcons 17, Bucs 16
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 3-4

Matt Matera: Bucs Ride Defense To Another NFC South Win

The weather is likely to play a big factor in this game as it’s expected to rain all day. Those conditions actually favor the Bucs over the Falcons as it can limit Atlanta’s passing attack. Either way, Tampa Bay’s defense is playing some great football, generating a relentless pass rush up front and having their secondary play at an All-Pro level. 

Bucs DT Vita Vea and Falcons RB Bijan Robinson – Photo by: USA Today

Whether it’s Vita Vea and Yaya Diaby on the defensive line or Tykee Smith and Zyon McCollum on the back end, Tampa Bay’s starters that have faced some scrutiny have stepped up. The bread and butter of the Bucs has always been stopping the run, and the rainy conditions allow for Tampa Bay to slow down Bijan Robinson. 

The Bucs offense is going to run it early and often with Bucky Irving, but it’s how they run it that will be important. They must stick to counters, pulls and misdirection runs. That’s where they succeed. I’m not saying Baker Mayfield needs to be a game manager, but he needs to make the right adjustments when necessary. It’ll be close, but the Bucs pull it off for two straight wins against division rivals.

MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 23, Falcons 21
MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 4-3

Adam Slivon: Bucs Pull Off Sloppy Win Over Falcons

The Bucs are coming off their best performance of the season, but can they start stacking wins and playing consistent football? That’s the big question heading into Week 8, with a key variable being Sunday’s forecast. Given that there is a 90% chance of all-day rain, Tampa Bay has to avoid that dampening their offensive game plan.

Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: USA Today

What has worked for the offense in two of the past three games is recording an absurd amount of rushing yards. Running for 250 yards won’t work every week, but the results indicate that establishing the ground game is the strongest identity they have. With the passing game in flux, the expected rain, and the fact Atlanta boasts an elite safety duo, it’d be wise to lean on running back Bucky Irving and Co.

The biggest key to who wins this game is who can win in the trenches and control the line of scrimmage. The Bucs and Falcons rank in the top 5 in rushing yards and in run defense, respectively. Todd Bowles has had success stopping Bijan Robinson in the past, but he is always capable of breaking one and finding holes to run. I know Larry Foote joked that it meant bringing up the past, but they can’t ignore Kyle Pitts, either.

Should Zac Robinson set the tempo early with a run-heavy focus, there is a strong chance Tampa Bay gets to 3-5 and wins its first home game of the season. Atlanta has the offensive playmakers to make it interesting, but they are going up against a defense that has played better as the year has gone on. I predict a low-scoring game ending in a sloppy Bucs win.

SLIVON’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 20, Falcons 17
SLIVON’S SEASON RECORD: 2-5

Bailey Adams: I Already Regret It, But I Might Believe In The Bucs Again

I shouldn’t let last week’s 30-point win over the Panthers really sway me all that much, and I already feel like a fool for even considering the possibility of believing in this Bucs team again. But unfortunately, that’s exactly what I’m doing. I like Tampa Bay to beat Atlanta this Sunday at Raymond James Stadium, snapping a four-game home losing streak and earning back-to-back wins for the first time since Weeks 5 and 6 of last season.

Bucs S Tykee Smith and the Tampa Bay defense – Photo by: IMAGN Images via Reuters Connect

The biggest reason for my renewed belief is ultimately how well this Bucs defense continues to play. If you really look at the first seven games as a whole, that side of the football generally played well enough to win, what, five of those games? Maybe six? Possibly all seven? The defense was good early on, but it’s been at a different level over the last two weeks with 10 sacks and four takeaways. Maybe that’s not sustainable, but even getting to Michael Penix Jr. three times and potentially coming away with two takeaways should set Tampa Bay up well.

I’m still not sold on this offense until I see Baker Mayfield look more like the 2024 or early-2025 version of himself and get more out of his talented group of receivers (who all have absurdly low aDOT numbers, which is maddening). But I do think Bucky Irving and the run game will excel just enough in what could be a rainy atmosphere in order to complement another strong effort from the defense.

The Bucs win and suddenly find themselves a half-game out of first place in the NFC South at 3-5. What a world.

ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 20, Falcons 16
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 3-4

Josh Queipo: Falcons Are A Bit Too Much For Bucs To Overcome

Count me intrigued. The Bucs not only beating Carolina, but crushing them has me drawn back into the talent on the roster. The run game was brilliant and the defense is approaching what I thought they could be. The pass rush is coalescing as Yaya Diaby and Al-Quadin Muhammad are joining David Walker in consistently threatening the pocket.

The Bucs have contained Falcons’ Pro Bowl running back Bijan Robinson in the past. And the middle of the field is more athletic with Josiah Trotter manning the middle. But Atlanta’s passing attack still includes two players who have burned the Bucs in the past. Drake London and Kyle Pitts will be matchup keys that can help Atlanta win with play action over the middle.

And the Bucs offense will face a strong Falcons unit that is under the fantastic coaching of Jeff Ulbrich. It’s just a bit too much for Tampa Bay.

QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Falcons 17, Bucs 16
QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 1-6

Nick Geddes: Bucs Finally Beat Falcons At Ray-Jay

The Falcons have had the Bucs’ number in recent memory when these two teams play at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay last defended home turf against Atlanta in 2022 when Tom Brady was still quarterbacking the Bucs. A lot has changed since then – for both teams – who each come into Week 8 having underachieved at this point in the season.

The Bucs were able to get a big win in Carolina last week, thanks in large part to a running game which went over 200 yards for the second time in three weeks. With quarterback Baker Mayfield still gaining comfort in his throwing thumb, it’ll be paramount for the Bucs to have a consistent rushing attack once again. Atlanta’s defense has proven to be stingy against the run, allowing just 88.9 rushing yards per game, fourth in the NFL.

Bucs QB Baker Mayfield and RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: USA Today

Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson has actually been pretty creative with the run game in 2026 and it is undoubtedly the strength of his offense. He needs to lean on it here and trust that the guys up front, along with the tight ends and wide receivers, can block it well enough for Bucky Irving, Kenny Gainwell, and co.

Defensively, we know that running back Bijan Robinson is a nightmare to handle. There’s a slim chance of making him ineffective, so the Bucs must make sure nobody else on Atlanta’s offense hurts them. The Bucs have done a good job against opposing teams’ WR1 this season, so I’m fairly optimistic they can keep Drake London from having a big showing. Tight end Kyle Pitts, however, is another story. Pitts has feasted against Todd Bowles defense, recording 44 receptions for 269 yards and six touchdowns in eight games.

This will likely be another close contest between these two teams, but give me Tampa Bay on top to get its first win at Ray Jay in 2026.

GEDDES’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 24, Falcons 21
GEDDES’ SEASON RECORD: 3-4