5 Bucs to Watch Against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 5

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons will battle for first place in the NFC South on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. ET on October 9. Consecutive losses to Green Bay and Kansas City have slowed the Buccaneers down after a 2-0 start. Conversely, the Falcons – who were largely considered to be a team in a rebuild phase – will come to town riding a two-game win streak. Atlanta has played four tight games, powered by a rushing onslaught. There are many matchups and individual performances that could weigh heavily on the outcome of the Bucs-Falcons showdown in Week Five. Here is an in-depth look at five Buccaneers to observe on Sunday.

Luke Goedeke, the Buccaneers’ second-round draft selection who played exclusively at right tackle out of necessity at Central Michigan, has stepped right into Tampa Bay’s starting lineup at left guard. In true, ‘baptism by fire’ fashion, Goedeke has begun the 2022 slate going up against a laundry list of talent including Kenny Clark and Chris Jones. This week, he will face yet another top-tier defensive tackle in Grady Jarrett. Goedeke’s cerebral approach and dedication to film study should prepare him for the challenging task. Jarrett, a two-time Pro Bowl veteran, has logged 3.5 sacks, nine quarterback pressures, eight hurries and five tackles for loss. The 6-0, 305-pound anchor is a premier run stuffer and an elite pass rusher. Jarrett consistently wreaks havoc in the backfield as a one-gap penetrator and possesses an arsenal of effective moves. Whether a double-swipe or chop-club, Jarrett imposes his will on the interior. He lines up in a variety of roles along the middle of the Falcons’ line, so Goedeke, Shaq Mason and Robert Hainsey will frequently be matched up with Jarrett. This will be another litmus test for the Goedeke in his first year, and the Buccaneers will be relying on him to keep the pocket clean around Tom Brady.

In a full-time role in 2022, Mike Edwards has played all but one defensive snap this season. With his ball-hawk prowess, Edwards has been a back-end catalyst. He has accumulated a pick-six, two passes defensed and 34 tackles through four games. Edwards can do it all: blitz, cover slot receivers, stop the run off the edge and line up deep. On Sunday, he could be the key element in containing Falcons’ dual-threat quarterback, Marcus Mariota. Mariota acts as an extension of the running game with designed rollouts and bootlegs in an RPO-centric attack. He…