NFL Preview - Tampa Bay (5-4) at Atlanta (3-6)

The NFC South is a division in chaos. If the Atlanta
 Falcons have their way, things will only get crazier on Sunday, when Bobby
 Petrino's club plays host to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a potentially telling
 division duel.

 The Falcons and Buccaneers begin Week 11 on opposite poles in the South,
 though the distance between Atlanta's position in last place, and Tampa Bay's
 in first, is a mere two games.

 Petrino and company, left for dead by most pundits when they opened the year
 at 1-6, have tightened the division race by winning back-to-back games over
 the 49ers (20-16) and Panthers (20-13). Atlanta is now just a game back of
 second-place co-occupants Carolina and New Orleans, and with another win could
 offer some real excitement to a fan base that has suffered through persistent
 Michael Vick and dogfighting headlines for the better part of the last six
 months.

 Looking to shut down the Falcons' renaissance, and also to keep sole
 possession of the division's top spot, is a Tampa Bay team heading to the
 Georgia Dome following a bye week. The Buccaneers went into their open date on
 a high note, defeating the Arizona Cardinals by a 17-10 count in a game in
 which they held the football for more than 43 minutes of clock time.

 Prior to the bye, the Buccaneers had lost three of four contests.

 SERIES HISTORY

 Tampa Bay holds a 15-12 edge in its all-time series with Atlanta, but was
 swept in a home-and-home between the division rivals last season. The
 Buccaneers were 14-3 road losers when the teams met in Week 2, and dropped a
 17-6 decision in the return matchup at Raymond James Stadium in Week 14.
 The Bucs scored a home-and-home sweep of the Falcons in 2005.

 Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden has a career mark of 7-4 against the Falcons,
 including a win while with the Oakland Raiders in 2000. Atlanta's Petrino will
 be meeting both Gruden and the Bucs for the first time as a head coach.

 WHEN THE BUCCANEERS HAVE THE BALL

 The Buccaneers have been a middle-of-the-pack unit in most offensive
 categories this year, but have won more often than not due to the efficient
 play of quarterback Jeff Garcia (1967 passing yards, 9 TD, 3 INT). Garcia has
 the fewest interceptions in the league for a quarterback that has started most
 or all of his team's games. Veteran wideouts Joey Galloway (38 receptions, 5
 TD) and Ike Hilliard (46 receptions, 1 TD) have been extremely reliable in the
 receiving game for Garcia. The running game, which ranks 15th in the NFL (113
 yards per game) as Week 11 begins, got a shot in the arm in the form of
 running back Earnest Graham's first career 100-yard game against the
 Cardinals. Graham's 124 yards, which came on a career-high 34 carries, were
 the most for a Tampa Bay rusher since 2005. The Tampa line has done a credible
 job both opening holes for Graham (454 rushing yards, 4 TD, 26 receptions) and
 protecting Garcia, who has been sacked a modest 13 times in nine starts.

 Atlanta has done a solid job defensively during its two-game win streak,
 though that task has been made somewhat easier by the inept offenses of
 Carolina and San Francisco. The Falcons, who are 16th in the league in total
 defense (323.7 yards per game), will require consistently strong play from its
 core of stars - end John Abraham (17 tackles, 6 sacks), tackle Rod Coleman (7
 tackles, 2 sacks), cornerback DeAngelo Hall (35 tackles, 3 INT), and
 linebacker Keith Brooking (57 tackles, 1 sack) - in order to keep finding the
 win column. Coleman boosted a mostly non-existent pass rush with two sacks of
 Vinny Testaverde last Sunday, and the enigmatic Hall notched five tackles
 while forcing a Steve Smith fumble. The Falcons need a stronger effort from
 Brooking, fellow linebacker Michael Boley (72 tackles, 2 INT), and a run-
 stopping group that ranks just 23rd in the league in rushing defense (121.2
 yards per game).

 WHEN THE FALCONS HAVE THE BALL

 Atlanta enters Week 11 with a bit of a quarterback controversy, as Joey
 Harrington (1737 passing yards, 5 TD, 5 INT) has led the Falcons to two
 straight wins but Petrino has vowed to start Byron Leftwich (173 passing
 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) as soon as the former Marshall star is fully healed from
 ankle surgery. Conventional wisdom suggests that Harrington will start on
 Sunday, but Petrino had not confirmed as much as of Thursday. Whoever starts
 at QB against the Buccaneers will throw often to wideout Roddy White (42
 receptions, 2 TD) and tight end Alge Crumpler (21 receptions, 2 TD), both of
 whom have been quietly reliable pass-catchers this year. Crumpler returned
 from injury last Sunday to catch a game-winning 30-yard touchdown pass in the
 fourth quarter. In the running game, veteran Warrick Dunn (481 rushing yards,
 3 TD, 21 receptions) has totaled 189 yards and two touchdowns in his last two
 outings, and is 58 yards shy of 10,000 for his career. Backfield running mate
 Jerious Norwood (311 rushing yards, 1 TD, 17 receptions) should return after
 missing one game with an ankle problem. Despite their recent win streak,
 Atlanta still ranks a distant 27th in NFL total offense (293.1), and the
 makeshift offensive line has allowed a bloated 28 sacks.

 If Tampa Bay has the type of defensive day it experienced against Arizona a
 couple of weeks back, it is going to be difficult to keep the Buccaneers out
 of the win column. The Bucs limited the Falcons to nine first downs, eight
 drives of three plays or less, and coaxed quarterback Kurt Warner (10-of-30
 passing, 172 yards, 2 INT, 26.0 passer rating) and running back Edgerrin James
 (9 carries, 15 yards) into poor outings. Safety Jermaine Phillips (53 tackles,
 3 INT, 1 sack) effectively ended the game with a fourth-quarter interception
 of Warner. Tampa Bay currently ranks sixth in NFL total defense (286.2 yards
 per game) and third in the league against the pass (173.0 yards per game),
 with top defenders such as cornerback Ronde Barber (35 tackles) and
 linebackers Derrick Brooks (67 tackles) and Barrett Ruud (79 tackles, 1 INT)
 fueling the effort. The pass rush has generated just 16 sacks on the year,
 with a quarter of those going to interior lineman Jovan Haye (40 tackles, 4
 sacks).

 FANTASY FOCUS

 Neither of these teams racks up gaudy offensive numbers, so there aren't a
 host of sure-fire fantasy starters. The running backs, Graham and Dunn, have
 played well of late, but aren't going to near 200 yards or three touchdowns
 any time soon. The same goes for the top pass-catchers on both teams, though
 Crumpler is a better-than-average fantasy tight end when healthy. Garcia won't
 sink you with a bunch of turnovers or sacks absorbed, but won't get you a ton
 of yards either. Don't dare to start an Atlanta quarterback this week. If
 you're targeting a defense, go with Tampa Bay against a weak Falcons attack.
 Both kickers are a decent play.

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