Buccaneers-Falcons capsule

The Associated Press

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (0-2) At ATLANTA FALCONS (1-1)

Thursday, 8:25 p.m. ET, CBS and NFL Network

OPENING LINE — Falcons by 5 1-2

RECORD VS. SPREAD — Tampa Bay 0-2, Atlanta 1-1

SERIES RECORD — Buccaneers lead 21-20

LAST MEETING — Buccaneers beat Falcons 41-28, Nov. 17, 2013

LAST WEEK — Buccaneers lost to Rams 19-17; Falcons lost to Bengals 24-10

AP PRO32 RANKING — Buccaneers No. 30, Falcons No. 17 (tie)

BUCCANEERS OFFENSE — OVERALL (28), RUSH (11), PASS (31).

BUCCANEERS DEFENSE — OVERALL (14), RUSH (T18), PASS (16).

FALCONS OFFENSE — OVERALL (2), RUSH (21), PASS (1).

FALCONS DEFENSE — OVERALL (32), RUSH (26), PASS (31).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Teams combined for 69 points in most recent meeting, tied for highest-scoring game in series. … Buccaneers have started 0-2 for third time in six seasons. They lost first seven games in 2009, and dropped eight straight a year ago before winning. … Tampa Bay is hurting on defense. MLB Mason Foster (shoulder) won’t play, while two-time Pro Bowl T Gerald McCoy (broken hand) and DE Michael Johnson (ankle) are questionable. Bucs lost DE Adrian Clayborn and CB Mike Jenkins in Week 1. … Filling in for injured RB Doug Martin, former practice squad player Bobby Rainey rushed for 144 yards against Rams, second most in NFL this season. He also had three catches for 30 yards. … Falcons averaged just 4.6 yards on 44 passing attempts against Cincinnati. … Atlanta QB Matt Ryan threw three interceptions, was hit nine times and sacked twice by Bengals. .. Falcons have won five of last six meetings with Tampa Bay at Georgia Dome. … WR Roddy White is tied with Andre Rison for second on Atlanta career list with 56 touchdown receptions, one behind Terance Mathis. … Falcons are 37-12 at home under coach Mike Smith. … Tampa Bay QB Josh McCown is NFL’s 32nd-ranked passer, ahead of only four other starters. … Falcons rank second in league at 438.5 yards per game.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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