The Atlanta Falcons (1-1) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) had to quickly move past their Week 2 losses. Working on a short week, they'll meet in an NFC South matchup Thursday night at the Georgia Dome. "Any time you play in the division, we talk about it counts 1-plus," Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan said. "We've got some work to do before Thursday night. We've got to get ready to play the way that we're capable of." Ryan has a record of 35-2 when his passer rating is 100 or better. Last weekend, it dipped to 48.6. He'll try to get back on track against a banged-up Buccaneers team. Last year, he posted a career-high 148.6 passer rating at the Georgia Dome versus Tampa Bay. ESPN Falcons reporter Vaughn McClure and ESPN Buccaneers reporter Pat Yasinskas break down the matchup: Bucs at Falcons: Stats of the Week163That's the number of rushing yards Bobby Rainey had against Atlanta last November. It was a career high. Rainey had his second-highest rushing total, 144 yards, Sunday against St. Louis.5-1Falcons coach Mike Smith's record against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons averaged 25.5 points per game in those six contests.McClure: I know there was a lot of optimism about Tampa Bay being the surprise team in the NFC South, but things haven't started off so well. How has the health of the team contributed to the 0-2 start, and how healthy will the Bucs be going into Thursday night? Yasinskas: Coach Lovie Smith doesn't like to make excuses, but injuries have been a factor, and they could become an even bigger deal against Atlanta. Defensive end Adrian Clayborn and cornerback Mike Jenkins are on injured reserve. Defensive end Michael Johnson and tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins missed the St. Louis game. Johnson appears to be on track to play against the Falcons, but the news isn't so good elsewhere. Defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and linebacker Mason Foster got banged up against the Rams. McCoy has a hand injury but might try to play through it. Foster is expected to sit out with a dislocated shoulder. McCoy and Foster are two of the leaders of this defense. If they can't play, there will be a sharp drop-off. I know the Falcons also have had their share of injuries with Sean Weatherspoon and Sam Baker. Jake Matthews, Baker's replacement, couldn't play on Sunday. Has his condition improved, and what would his return mean to the offensive line? McClure: Matthews' sprained left ankle has improved, and he actually returned to full participation in practice on Tuesday. I thought the Falcons might be a little extra cautious with him, considering how receiver Roddy White struggled through an ankle injury last season. But each player is different, of course. Matthews expects to play, and the Falcons no doubt want him in there in an important division game. If he returns, they'll likely stick with Lamar Holmes at right tackle despite Holmes' struggles against the Bengals in the last game. Gabe Carimi would be in the bullpen if Matthews has a setback or if Holmes falters again. Whatever happens, the Falcons are much better off with Matthews in the lineup. Defensively, the Falcons have struggled miserably with their pass rush and are the only team yet to record a sack. They also have issues stopping the run. Can quarterback Josh McCown and running back Bobby Rainey take advantage of the situation? Yasinskas: Let's not forget running back Doug Martin, who could return from a knee injury for this game. Whether it's Martin or Rainey as the main ball carrier, I think the Bucs can make good things happen on the ground. Both are small-but-tough runners and can gain yards after contact. The other encouraging thing for the Bucs is their offensive line looks like it's coming around. Desperate for help at guard, the Bucs traded for Logan Mankins in the preseason, and he has helped solidify the offensive line. But I'm not sure McCown is ready to carve up any defense, even if it's one that can't pressure him. McCown has been ordinary in the first two games and has made some throws that a veteran shouldn't. I know the Falcons weren't able to run the ball as well as they would have liked last season. What are they doing differently this year and how is it working out? McClure: The Falcons are going with a committee at running back with veteran Steven Jackson as the starter with Jacquizz Rodgers, Antone Smith and rookie Devonta Freeman all in the mix. The foursome worked like a charm in the opener against the Saints, producing 181 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. It didn't have as much production against the Bengals, but the Falcons still averaged 5.1 yards per rush in that game. Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is sure to keep plugging away with his backs with the hope of giving the offense just a little more balance. Smith is a big play waiting to happen and had an explosive, 50-yard touchdown run versus the Bucs last season, so we'll see if Koetter gives him more touches. I'm very familiar with McCown from covering him while he was with the Chicago Bears. People don't realize how athletic he is. How is he adjusting in a starting role? Yasinskas: You're right. He's a very good athlete and moves well. He ran for two touchdowns in last week's loss to St. Louis. I've been surprised by his speed. That said, McCown has struggled so far. Part of the reason he was brought in was the staff believed he would be a reliable game manager who wouldn't make a lot of mistakes. But McCown has made mistakes you wouldn't expect from a veteran. He has already thrown three costly interceptions. McCown still has a firm grip on the starting job, but the coaching staff has said Mike Glennon is the quarterback of the future. If the losing continues and McCown keeps making mistakes, a change could happen. We all knew retired tight end Tony Gonzalez was a huge part of Atlanta's offense. How have the Falcons replaced him, and has his departure put more pressure on Julio Jones and Roddy White? McClure: As the coaches and players have stated since he retired, there is no replacing Tony Gonzalez. The Falcons didn't pursue a pass-catching tight end in free agency or via the draft. They have faith in Levine Toilolo as a role player and red zone threat. But the real way they plan to compensate is by going with more four-wide receiver sets, utilizing the talents of Jones, White, Devin Hester and Harry Douglas. They were extremely effective against the Saints. Ryan talked about Douglas being a real key in the Falcons' desire to be more multidimensional on offense. The mismatches created with so many playmakers on the field more than compensate for the loss of Gonzalez. But the Falcons just need to keep an up-tempo flow going. They slowed themselves down against the Bengals by huddling, even though Ryan can do wonders with the no-huddle.
