Despite each team being below .500, Sunday’s NFC South matchup at Raymond James Stadium between the Falcons (3-4) and the Buccaneers (2-5) is a battle for first place. Yes, with Carolina losing Thursday night to Green Bay, no team in the NFC South is even .500. Atlanta sits tied with Carolina entering the weekend, while Tampa Bay sits just one game back despite losing its first four games.
Atlanta snapped a two-game losing streak last Sunday with arguably its best win of the season, knocking off the previously unbeaten 49ers, 29-20. Michael Penix Jr. completed 25 of 34 passes for 213 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, throwing scoring passes to Nick Muse, Kyle Pitts Sr. and Drake London, while Atlanta’s defense produced four takeaways and scored 13 points off San Francisco turnovers. Penix has helped stabilize the Falcons after their 0-2 start, and Sunday represents a homecoming for the Tampa-area native. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, dismantled Carolina 43-13 last week in Baker Mayfield’s return after missing three games with a dislocated thumb. The Bucs own the league’s third-ranked rushing attack and they played to their strength against the Panthers attempting only 11 passes while piling up 258 rushing yards on 49 carries. Bucky Irving ran for a chunk of the 258 yards totaling 106 yards and two touchdowns. Tampa’s defense added four takeaways and five sacks.
The Falcons’ defensive front and playmaking secondary were difference-makers against San Francisco, but Tampa Bay has topped 240 rushing yards in two of its last three victories and with Emeka Egbuka declared OUT of Sunday’s game, the Bucs will look to their run game to be the difference-maker against a Falcons’ team that will undoubtedly stack the box.
Atlanta leads the all-time series 33-32, and the Falcons won both meetings last season. Their most recent matchup, also at Raymond James Stadium on Dec. 11, 2025, produced one of the rivalry’s wildest finishes. Tampa Bay led 28-14 in the fourth quarter, but Kirk Cousins rallied Atlanta with two late touchdown drives, including his third TD pass of the night to Kyle Pitts, before Zane Gonzalez hit a 43-yard field goal as time expired for a 29-28 Falcons victory.
Let’s dive into the numbers and see if we can’t find an additional sweat or two.
NBC Sports has all the latest info and analysis you need, including how to tune in for kickoff, odds from DraftKings, player news and updates, and of course our predictions and best bets for the game from our staff of experts.
Game Details and How to Watch: Falcons vs. Buccaneers
- Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026
- Time: 1:00P
- Site: Raymond James Stadium
- City: Tampa, FL
- TV/Streaming: FOX
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Latest Game Odd: Falcons vs. Buccaneers
The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Atlanta Falcons (+114), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-135)
- Spread: Bucs -2.5
- Total: 43.5
These two teams typically cash the OVER, but the Total has dropped from 46.5, and money is coming in on the Falcons after the game opened Tampa -4.5.
Peacock offers one of the most comprehensive live sports streaming lineups available today, bringing together the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, Premier League, NCAA football, NCAA basketball, golf, motorsports, and major global sporting events in a single service.
Rotoworld Bet Best Bets
Expert Picks & Predictions: Falcons vs. Buccaneers
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NFL calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, betting trends, and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Sunday’s game between the Falcons and the Buccaneers:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports is leaning towards a play on the Bucs -2.5.
- Total: NBC Sports is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 43.5.
Here’s why the Total OVER 43.5 is the best bet:
Both offenses have real firepower. Atlanta ranks 10th in points scored (24.43 per game), 6th in rushing yards (139.86 per game), 4th in yards per carry (4.75), and 12th in yards per play (6.04). Tampa Bay ranks 3rd in rushing yards (146.43 per game) and 3rd in yards per carry (4.88). These are two of the best run games in football, and both defenses are vulnerable in the passing game — Atlanta ranks 29th in passing yards allowed (287.29 per game) and 31st in pass attempts allowed (40.86 per game), while Tampa Bay ranks 25th in receptions allowed (22.86 per game). The situational numbers are equally ugly for the Under. Atlanta has run 17.7% of its offensive plays in the red zone since the 2025 season — T-3rd-best in the NFL — and the Falcons finish 74.1% of red-zone trips. Tampa Bay’s defense has allowed opponents to score on 45.5% of first-quarter drives. And the head-to-head history backs it: 6 of the last 10 meetings have gone Over, with an average combined score of 50.9 points — more than seven above this line.
Falcons vs. Buccaneers: Betting Trends and Stats
- The Falcons are 3-4 against the spread this season
- The Bucs are 2-5 against the spread this season
- Atlanta is 4-3 to the OVER this season
- Tampa Bay is 4-3 to the OVER this season
Quarterback Matchup: Falcons vs. Buccaneers
- Falcons: Michael Penix Jr.
2026 Statistics: 6GP, 1174 Passing Yards, 7 TDs, 2 INTs, 92.0 RTG, Sacked 24 times - Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield
2026 Statistics: 4GP, 679 Passing Yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, 83.0 RTG, Sacked 13 times
Falcons vs. Buccaneers: Top Playmakers
Falcons
- RB Bijan Robinson
2026 Statistics: 7GP, 131 carries for 704 Yds, 4 TDs / 25 receptions on 33 targets for 203 Yds, 1 TD - WR Drake London
2026 Statistics: 7GP, 38 receptions on 57 targets for 616 Yds, 1 TD - TE Kyle Pitts Sr.
2026 Statistics: 7GP, 20 receptions on 27 targets for 191 Yds, 4 TDs
Buccaneers
- RB Bucky Irving
2026 Statistics: 7GP, 120 carries for 558 Yds, 4 TDs / 18 receptions on 23 targets for 78 Yds, 1 TD - WR Chris Godwin Jr.
2026 Statistics: 7GP, 27 receptions on 35 targets for 243 Yds, 0 TDs - TE Cade Otton
2026 Statistics: 7GP, 19 receptions on 30 targets for 186 Yds, 0 TDs
Falcons vs. Buccaneers: Injury Update
Falcons
- RB Brian Robinson Jr. (hamstring) has been declared OUT for Sunday’s game
- WR Olamide Zaccheaus (shoulder) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game
- NT Anterio Thompson (undisclosed) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game
- LB Divine Deablo (forearm) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game
- LB Samson Ebukam (undisclosed) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game
- CB Avieon Terrell (undisclosed) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game
- CB Billy Bowman Jr. (undisclosed) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game
Buccaneers
- WR Emeka Egbuka (foot) has been declared OUT for Sunday’s game
- RB Kenny Gainwell (hip) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game
- RT Luke Goedeke (calf) is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest and tools for the NFL, including game predictions, player props, futures, and trends!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
