Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season is here and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have an important division matchup in front of them. The Bucs will travel to Atlanta for a Thursday night showdown with the Falcons. The implications of this game will go a long way in deciding the NFC South winner at season’s end.
The Bucs currently sit in first place at 3-1, with the Falcons right behind them at 2-2. These don’t look like the same old Falcons of the past, as new quarterback Kirk Cousins leads them. Cousins has been a part of some of the league’s best offensive units during his time with the Minnesota Vikings. The Falcons offense isn’t near that caliber, but it shouldn’t be taken lightly with Cousins under center.
“He’s a good football player,” said head coach Todd Bowles. “We played him last year in Minnesota. We’ve had our chances to play him a few times, but he’s in a different offense this time. He’s got a lot more weapons than he had, than just [Justin] Jefferson and a couple of guys in Minnesota. He knows how to play the game. He runs the offense well, he knows where to go with the ball and how to get rid of the ball. He presents a great challenge.”
The Bucs defense will have to rise to the challenge on Thursday night against one of their biggest rivals.