Dec 13, 2020; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Ronald Jones (27) high five against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady sealed a spot in the NFL playoffs with a record-breaking performance against the Detroit Lions. They will get the top wild card draw which is the fifth seed in their conference if they beat the Atlanta Falcons this weekend.
A win on Sunday will guarantee the Buccaneers a playoff against a match-up against the NFC East champions. Here’s a detailed look at both teams, along with injury updates and Week 17 Game Day predictions.
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TB12 turned back the clock with an epic display against the Lions in Week 16. He went 22 of 27, throwing for 348 yards with 4 passing TDs to his name. Coach Bruce Arians will be pleased by his team’s performance after some inconsistent displays over the last four months. He will be tempted to rest some of his key players against the Falcons with one eye on the playoffs.
But a win will guarantee them the fifth seed in the NFC. WR’s Antonio Brown, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin will be for the home team in their final game of the regular season. A strong defensive performance from the likes of Shaquil Barrett and Ndamukong Suh should be enough to seal a win at the Raymond James Stadium.
It’s truly been another underwhelming season for the Atlanta Falcons. Quarterback Matt Ryan and Co. have made some promising starts to games but have failed to close out wins in the final two quarters. They will most likely be without their star wideout Julio Jones once again as he continues recovery from a hamstring injury. WR Calvin Ridley will have to step up and lead in the absence of the legendary Julio.
The Falcons are at the bottom of the NFC South table with a 4-11 record. Deprived of motivation, they will have to dig deep if they want to beat the Bucs on Sunday.
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DL Jeremiah Ledbetter – Calf
CB Carlton Davis – Groin
DL Steve McLendon – Not injury related
CB Darqueze Dennard – Quad
WR Julio Jones – Hamstring
WR Brandon Powell – Foot
DE Charles Harris – Personal
Just like in Week 17, we expect ‘Tampa’ Brady and his band of speedsters to wreak havoc on the Falcons in Week 17. The latter has no chance of making the post-season and will be expected to play accordingly.
The Buccaneers can set up a tasty Wild Card playoff against one of the struggling NFC East teams such as the Dallas Cowboys or Washington Football Team if they win tomorrow. Regardless, there should be another Tom Brady masterclass on display in Florida this weekend, make sure you don’t miss out!
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