The Week 17 game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the hometown Atlanta Falcons has been a decidedly one-sided affair from early on. The third quarter has seen the Buccaneers narrow the difference just a bit.
After holding a 42-7 lead at halftime, the Falcons were held scoreless in the third quarter. Even more startling than that is the fact that the Bucs have now scored 24 unanswered points.
The Tampa Bay scores both came within the last 5:00 of the quarter. Connor Barth kicked a 41-yard field goal to narrow the Atlanta lead to 42-10. Just 40 seconds later, Elbert Mack grabbed an interception and ran it back 40 yards for a touchdown. After a two-point conversion pass from Josh Freeman to Kellen Winslow, the score stood at 42-18 entering the final quarter.
Freeman led the Bucs on still another drive early in the fourth quarter and ended up deep in the Falcons red zone. Freeman tossed a five-yard pass to Dezmon Briscoe, for Briscoe's second touchdown catch of the game. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful and the score stands at 42-24.
For more on the Buccaneers, please visit Bucs Nation, SB Nation's Buccaneers blog. For the perspective from the other side, please visit SB Nation Atlanta and The Falcoholic, SB Nation's Falcons blog.