Falcons 14 Buccaneers 3

If one were to just look at the final score, they may say to themselves, "Man, that was a defensive struggle. One big play and Tampa could've been right back in the ball game." Well, that presumption is partially true and mostly false. In all honestly, score wise, Tampa was one play away from making it a one possession game, but even then, they were dominated in such a manner that the one possession would appear to be three or four. It was also not a defensive slugfest. Just ask the Bucs defense. Atlanta broke a franchise record for rushing yards in a game, galloping to 306, including 134 by tailback Warrick Dunn and 127 more by quarterback Michael Vick. It was the third time in NFL history a tailback and quarterback each ran for over 100 yards in a game. Donovan McNabb and Duce Staley did it for the Eagles four years ago as did Philadelphia's Randall Cunningham and Heath Sherman. Chris Simms threw for a career high 313 yards, but most of that came in junk time at the end of the first and second half when Atlanta softened up their defense a bit.

As Len Pasquerelli noted today, this may have been the most dominating 14-3 game in NFL history. Atlanta had control from start to finish. What was their only problem? Why couldn't they put the game away, score wise? Place kicker Michael Koenen missed all four field goal attempts. Two were blocked and two were shanked by the do-everything (not for long) kicker. He went 2 for 4 last week and is now 2 for 8 on the season, after a perfect 8 for 8 in the pre-season. Outside of that, there wasn't/isn't much to complain about for Atlanta fans.

What most impressed me on Sunday was Atlanta's run defense. Defensive end stud Jonathan Abraham and middle linebacker Ed Hartwell did not play in the game and defensive end Patrick Kerney didn't start for the Falcons. Youngsters Chauncey Davis, Adam Carrington, Michael Boley, and DeMorrio Williams had to start on the outside on the front seven for the Falcons and Keith Brooking had to be shifted over to middle linebacker in the absence of Hartwell. How did Cadillac Williams and the Bucs rushing perform? 16 carries for 40 yards. Ouch!

Vick was only 10 for 15 on the day for 92 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, but he didn't need to throw it very much. He completed balls when he needed to, spread the ball around to the likes of: Michael Jenkins, Roddy White, Alge Crumpler, Jerious Norwood, and Ashley Lelie, usually for first downs. The Falcons rarely needed to go to the passing game, as Dunn ran for 134, Vick for 127, and rookie Jerious Norwood added 45. The game marked Michael Vick's 6th career 100 yard rushing performance, which added to a record he already owns.

Atlanta's rush offense and their defense looks dominant in the early going. Michael Koenen is doing well in the kickoff and punting game, but the Falcons may need to find someone else for field goals. They may want to go back to what they did a year ago and allow Koenen kick the 50+ yard field goals, but bring someone else in for the attempts under 50 yards. I backed Koenen all throughout the pre-season and the first two games of the regular season, but perhaps head coach Jim Mora was right all along in his presumption that a kicker handling all three jobs in the regular season may be a bit too much. The Falcons will also need to work on their red zone offense. They've had no problem running for 558 yards in two games this season, but have only scored 34 points in those two contests.

The Falcons are off to a great start in defeating the two teams from the division who were favored over them to make the playoffs and in the Panthers case, the Super Bowl. Up next is a Monday Nighter against the 2-0 Saints. If Atlanta wins that game, not only will they be 3-0 overall, but 3-0 in the division with two of their final divisional games coming at home.