Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) controls the offense during their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014, in Tampa, Fla.TAMPA, Fla. – The Atlanta Falcons found relief from their struggles with another victory over the reeling Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Matt Ryan threw for 219 yards and one touchdown Sunday, helping the Falcons stop a five-game losing streak with a 27-17 win that left the Bucs with a five-game skid of their own.
The Falcons (3-6) won for the first time since embarrassing their NFC South rivals 56-14 on Sept. 18, a game in which the Bucs (1-8) lost quarterback Josh McCown to a thumb injury.
McCown returned to Tampa Bay’s starting lineup for first time since loss, throwing for 301 yards and two TDs. His 1-yard scoring pass to Austin Seferian-Jenkins put the Bucs ahead 17-16 early in the fourth quarter. But Ryan drove the Falcons right down the field, throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Roddy White and a two-point conversion to Harry Douglas.
Steven Jackson scored on a 1-yard run and Matt Bryant kicked four field goals for the Falcons, one of them after a wide-open Devin Hester dropped what would have been a touchdown in the second quarter.