The Buccaneers have lost three in a row after going through a mini-gauntlet that included the Patriots, Bills, and Rams. Early-season hype has died down, and this team looks good by NFC South standards, but that's a low bar. Todd Bowles' defense has been getting shredded, but you also have to live and die with the volatility that comes with Baker Mayfield.
New Orleans turns the ball over too often but also forces plenty, hold the line well against the pass, and offer up a solid defense overall. Their putrid rushing attack and very average passing attack are the two best reasons to think the Falcons will win this one, particularly the first, but obviously little is guaranteed with the way the Falcons have played of late.
Norton landed on IR with a return designation during final roster cuts after undergoing ankle surgery in the preseason. He returned to practice on October 22 and was a full practice participant right away. He then re-aggravated the injury the following week and has not practiced since. His 21-day practice window expired on Wednesday, forcing him to watch the rest of the season from the sidelines.
Considering the defensive personnel likely missing for Sunday's game against the Patriots, the onus falls heavily on the offense to be efficient and convert red-zone opportunities. They need to be ready to score 30 points against this high-level caliber of opposition. It's certainly possible with Michael Penix Jr. and Drake London returning from injury. What raises major doubt is how limited the offense is in its operation.
Given reports early Saturday morning suggesting that the Falcons will sit their injured quarterback Michael Penix in favor of veteran Kirk Cousins, the intrigue shot through the roof for this Dolphins game. Should Cousins step in for Penix, who is questionable for the game with a bone bruise in his knee, it'll be interesting to see how this impacts the team's passing game.
Kevin Knight is joined by Rob Guerrera (49ers Gold Standard) to break down the injury report, discuss the biggest matchups to watch on offense and defense, and deliver some predictions for the game. Fellow Falcoholics, welcome to another episode of the Dirty Birds and Brews podcast! You can also listen to all of our video shows in an audio-only podcast format, available on all your favorite podcast platforms or by using the player below.
The Falcons laid an absolute egg in Charlotte territory, getting pulverized 30-0 in a game where they looked woefully unprepared. Atlanta got out played and out coached. As you would imagine, just about all of their players (but not quite all) were complete disappointments in fantasy football this week. It was difficult picking a "fantasy dud" just because there were so many great options.
The Falcons offense broke down against the Panthers in Week 3 in one of the ugliest games in a decade. Kevin Knight and Tre'Shon Diaz dive into the film to figure out what went wrong, including Michael Penix's struggles, Zac Robinson's schematic issues, and the lackluster play of the wide receivers. Fellow Falcoholics, welcome to another episode of the Dirty Birds and Brews podcast!
Jones was bound to have more big-play opportunities after squaring off with Richard Sherman in the previous matchup. Facing a Packers defense filled with question marks raised increased anticipation for what the 2016 first-team All-Pro can do against them.
