The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a lot to play for this Sunday when they take on the Atlanta Falcons. Not only is the NFC South division at stake, but also a crucial tiebreaker with the Falcons having already lost a game to their NFC South rivals. The losses of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans certainly don’t help the Bucs’ cause this week, but the team will play for them, especially Godwin.

It’s also Creamsicle Week for the Bucs, adding some extra fun as the Bucs transform their uniforms and stadium into a throwback to the ’70s. With so much at stake, the Bucs need to get off to a fast start against the Falcons. They have a clear path to victory this week to take the lead in the NFC South at 5-3, but only if they follow these keys to the cannon fire.

The Bucs’ running game has come alive in recent weeks, and if they want a chance to win this game against the Falcons, they will have to play their best game on Sunday. The last time these two teams faced off in Week 5, the Bucs ran the ball for 160 yards on the ground, led by Rachaad White’s 72 yards. He’ll need to be at his best on Sunday, especially since Bucky Irving isn’t 100 percent healthy and is dealing with a toe injury.

The Falcons still have one of the worst run defenses in the league two weeks later and have yet to figure out how to stop teams from running over them and allowing 137 yards on the ground. With star wideouts Chris Godwin and Mike Evans sidelined due to injuries, the Bucs will have to rely on their talented defenders for short passes out of the backfield to keep the chains and the clock running. Using up time of possession in this game will increase your chances of winning.

For the Falcons, third-down efficiency hasn’t changed – in fact, it’s gotten worse. The last time these two teams met, Atlanta was the 11th-worst team in third-down defense. Since then, they have fallen to the third-worst team, allowing a whopping conversion rate of 46.7 percent. The Bucs now have the best third-down offense in the league with a conversion rate of 50.6 percent. Of course, that will take a hit with the loss of Godwin, who led the league in third-down receptions for a first down, but the Bucs were very efficient.

The Falcons’ nonexistent pass rush, which has a league-low total of six sacks this season, will help the Bucs on third down. Atlanta doesn’t have a single defender with more than 1.5 sacks per year. On defense, the Bucs have allowed teams to convert 37.2 percent of the time – but the Falcons have a success rate of 38 percent. Getting to Kirk Cousins ​​through obvious passing thirds will be crucial to keeping their success rate low.

The Bucs’ pass rush has come to life in recent weeks. After giving up just two sacks in the first three weeks, the Bucs had 19 sacks in the last four games. They faced Cousins ​​four times in Week 5 and will need to unsettle the motionless quarterback early and often, especially on the aforementioned third down. Cousins ​​has seven interceptions this season, including one against the Bucs. However, he has 14 turnover plays this season and threw two interceptions last Sunday.

The Bucs are one of the best teams in the league when it comes to putting pressure on quarterbacks, with 67 pressures on the season. With Claijah Kancay and Antoine Winfield Jr. missing the Week 5 game, Bowles now has two of its best playmakers back. By adding both players, the Bucs can utilize more exotic looks to put pressure on Cousins ​​and hopefully force him into mistakes in the passing game and ultimately turnovers.

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