Davy Jones’ Locker: Buccaneers vs Falcons Q&A with The Falcoholic

With the Buccaneers just days away from opening up their season in Atlanta against the division rival Falcons, they will be looking for some revenge after being swept last year. Both teams would love nothing more than to start off the 2025 season on the right note. To help break down this Falcons team, we spoke with Saivion Mixson of The Falcoholic to give us a closer look at this macthup.

1. We are now entering the first full season with Michael Penix Jr at the helm for Atlanta. What are the expectations for him this season and how confident are you in his potential as a franchise quarterback?

“There are going to be growing pains. There’s no way around it. He’s a gunslinger, so he’s going to spray some throws, force a few into traffic, and make a couple of “rookie” decisions. That’s natural for a guy with just three starts under his belt who’s still adjusting to NFL speed.

But make no mistake: the kid is special. His arm talent is already top 10 in the league, and his feel for throws outside the numbers is elite. He’s got the juice to hit explosive plays downfield and the athleticism to avoid negative ones. This season, I expect the usual peaks and valleys of a young quarterback, but his ceiling as a franchise QB is limitless. “

2. The Falcons had the Bucs number last season, sweeping the season series. From Atlanta’s perspective, what went right in those games to come out victorious?

“Last year, Kirk Cousins was surgical against Tampa. According to NFL Pro, he posted his two best games of the season versus the Bucs, generating 0.41 and 0.37 EPA per dropback. Elite numbers when you consider that MVP candidate Lamar Jackson led the league at 0.29.

That’s exactly why Cousins was brought in: to deliver in big games like those. But as the season wore on, the consistency disappeared, and Atlanta needed a quarterback who could create more on his own. That opened the door for Penix, and now this matchup looks a whole lot different. “

3. What was the Falcons biggest need this offseason? Do you think it was properly addressed?

“The biggest need was easy: pass rush. Atlanta simply wasn’t affecting quarterbacks enough, and they went out and swung big. Landing Jalon Walker in the draft and adding James Pearce Jr. gives them two blue-chip pieces to build around.

Now, whether it was ‘properly’ addressed is where it gets tricky. I’m never a fan of giving up first-round picks unless you’re already in a Super Bowl window. But I get it, this front office is betting on itself. If it works, it could transform the defense overnight. If it doesn’t, Terry Fontenot won’t be around to feel the consequences. “

4. When looking at this matchup, what do you think is the biggest X factor in this game and why?

“The X-factor is right tackle Elijah Wilkinson against this...