Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan threw four touchdown passes, three in the second half, and the Falcons took control in the third quarter and cruised to a 43-28 win over the Buccaneers Thursday night.
The Falcons scored 27 unanswered after the Bucs led 14-13 in the second quarter. Ryan threw for 344 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers.
Five days off of an overtime loss to the Raiders in which Derek Carr threw for more than 500 yards, the Bucs had no legs and no chance to keep up with Ryan and the Falcons.
Ryan threw a first-half touchdown passes to Levine Toilolo, then threw one to fullback Patrick DiMarco in the third quarter before hitting Julio Jones on a fade. After a slow start, Jones finished with eight catches for 111 yards.
Rookie tight end Austin Hooper caught Ryan’s fourth touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. The Falcons rolled up 461 yards of offense.
Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston threw for 261 yards. He left in the fourth quarter with a knee injury after taking a big hit on a failed two-point conversion run. Winston remained on the sideline for the rest of the game.
The Bucs were penalized 11 times for 85 yards and lost two fumbles. Winston was sacked three times.
Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans had two touchdown catches. Evans now has eight touchdown receptions on the season, most in the league, and had 150 yards Thursday on a career-high 11 catches. But Evans ended the game on the sideline being evaluated for a concussion after taking a big shot from rookie safety Keanu Neal late in the game.
The Falcons move to 6-3. The Bucs fall to 3-5, 0-4 at home.
