Friday 4 November 2016 08:46, UK
Matt Ryan threw four touchdown passes as the Atlanta Falcons beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 43-28 on the road. Julio Jones collected 111 receiving yards and a touchdown, and the Falcons move to 6-3, three games clear in the division.
Mike Evans caught a spectacular one-handed catch, but it wasn't enough for Tampa, who are yet to win at home.
In 140 characters...
Bucs exhausted after week eight OT loss. Falcons in the ascendancy and never troubled as 'Matty Ice' looks every bit the regular season MVP.
MVP
Every week he seems to strengthen his case, but Matt Ryan was once again the architect of this victory. Though he didn't need the last-minute drive to win on Thursday night, the quarterback managed the game to a tee, throwing four interceptions and zero picks.
Game-changer
After a steady drive to see out the third quarter, the Bucs make a 4th and 1 situation, but a holding penalty pulls them back and they lose possession. Ryan takes the ball, drives 57 yards in nine plays and stretches the score to 40-14 with just 10 minutes left.
Stat of the night
3 - Ryan becomes the first Falcons quarterback in team history to have three career games where he has thrown four touchdown passes and zero interceptions.
The game
The Buccaneers started brightly, taking 10 minutes on their first drive before a three-yard pass from Jameis Winston to Mike Evans put them 7-0 up.
However, Atlanta hit straight back through the running game, Devonta Freeman and Taylor Gabriel combining for 42 yards on consecutive plays before Levine Toilolo caught a 32-yard touchdown pass on the next play.
The Falcons added two field goals following back-to-back Tampa fumbles, before a costly strip sack from Bucs defensive tackle Gerald McCoy on Ryan handed Tampa possession at the opposition 19-yard line. Winston overcame a five-yard penalty to pass 24 yards to the left-hand side of the end zone for Evans' second touchdown of the night.
But it was the Falcons who finished the half stronger, Ryan leading a 74-yard drive downfield before Gabriel converted the touchdown with a nine-yard rush to give them a 20-14 lead.
Atlanta dominated the second half, scoring three unanswered touchdowns as the Bucs' 30-24 week eight overtime loss appeared to catch up with them.
Fullback Patrick DiMarco scored from one yard for his first touchdown of the season, before Julio Jones' three-yard catch completed an 82-yard drive on the Falcons' next possession.
Buccaneers fans did have something to cheer about when Evans made an athletic one-handed catch at the sideline, reeling the ball in and getting his feet in bounds, before a huge hit from Keanu Neal knocked him out of bounds.
But it was the Falcons tight end Austin Hooper who scored next, running in a two-yard score to extend the visitors' advantage to 40-14 at the start of the fourth quarter.
After completing a seven-yard touchdown pass to Adam Humphries, Winston was forced out of the game following a knee injury on the two-point attempt. Mike Glennon was brought on in as replacement but, despite leading a 75-yard touchdown drive, the damage was done and the Falcons ran out comfortable winners.
Following the game, Winston said he felt "great", and expects to be back in week 10 for the arrival of the Chicago Bears.
Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn will be pleased to have avoided a divisional upset, and another commanding performance from Ryan only serves to strengthen his MVP candidacy.
As for the Buccaneers, who are still winless at home, Dirk Koetter will be ruing the exhausting toll of last week's overtime effort, which was evident in Thursday night's performance. Following another home match-up in week 10 against Chicago, the schedule isn't kind to Tampa, who must travel to Kansas, Dallas and New Orleans before the season is out.
