Falcons edge Bucs, 27-21, to claim NFC South lead

The Atlanta Falcons held on for a 27-21 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to take sole possession of the NFC South lead Sunday at the Georgia Dome, but it wasn't easy.

It took a goal-line stand in the final minutes as Josh Freeman tried to engineer yet another miraculous comeback for the Bucs, but fell less than two yards short.

On the Bucs' final possession, Freeman went deep on a flea-flicker, taking a pitch back from Cadillac Williams and trying to hit Arrelious Benn downfield. The ball was slightly underthrown, but Falcons cornerback William Moore was called for pass interference and the 33-yard penalty gave Bucs a first down at the Atlanta 11-yard line with 5:12 left to play.

Tampa Bay got inside the Atlanta 2, but LeGarrette Blount was stopped for no gain by Falcons safety Thomas McCoud on fourth down and about a foot to go with 2:40 remaining. The Falcons ran out the clock from there to improve to 6-2 on the season.

Rather than try a quarterback sneak with the 6-foot-6 Freeman or a run up the middle, the Bucs opted to send Blount off right tackle, where he was met by McCoud as he tried to turn upfield and stopped for no gain.

Blount led the Bucs (5-3) with 46 yards rushing on just 13 carries. Rookie Mike Williams had four catches for 89 yards and a score, but another receiver made most of the big plays for Tampa Bay.

Michael Spurlock may want to be known as more than a kick returner, but his work on special teams kept the Bucs in the game.

Spurlock had an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and his 66-yard return in the first half set up another Tampa Bay score.

In all, Spurlock averaged 52 yards on four kick returns as the Bucs hung close despite being dominated in most other phases of the game.

He also caught a 43-yard pass from Freeman, throwing out of his own end zone on a third-and-13 play, that gave the Bucs a first down at their own 44 with with 12:20 left to play.

That drive stalled when Freeman threw his second interception two plays later, but Spurlock couldn't be faulted for that.

Freeman, who entered the game with just three interceptions, was just 11-of-22 passing for 189 yards, two touchdowns and the two picks.

Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan was 24-of-36 for 235 yards and a touchdown. Michael Turner had 24 carries for 107 yards and two scores. Former Bucs kicker Matt Bryant added two field goals for the Falcons, who built leads of 14 and 13 points, only to see the Bucs battle back.

Spurlock's 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown brought the Buccaneers within 27-21 late in the third quarter.

Spurlock, who had the first kickoff return for a touchdown in franchise history, took his second one the distance after picking up the ball on a bounce and racing down the right sideline with 30 seconds left in the quarter.

Connor Barth followed Spurlock's score with an onside kick that he recovered, but the play was challenged and officials determined Barth touched the ball before it went the required 10 yards, giving the Falcons the ball at the Tampa Bay 39-yard line.

The Falcons, though, gained just two yards on three plays and were forced to punt.

Bryant's second field goal, from 41 yards out, gave the Falcons a 27-14 lead right before Spurlock's return.

Ryan hit rookie tight end Brian Palmer for a five-yard touchdown, giving Atlanta a 24-14 lead. That score was set up when Freeman threw just his fourth interception of the season.

Under heavy pressure by Falcons defensive lineman Kroy Biermann on Tampa Bay's first possession of the second half, Freeman threw the ball up for grabs. Atlanta linebacker Jonathan Babineaux made the pick with 13:34 left in the third quarter.

Turner followed that with a 19-yard run to the Bucs 11. The Falcons need six more plays to score before Ryan found Palmer with 10:31 left in the period.

Rookie Mike Williams scored on a 58-yard touchdown pass to bring the Buccaneers within 17-14 at halftime.

Williams took a short slant pass from Freeman and raced untouched to the end zone against a blitzing Atlanta defense with 2:06 left in the first half. Running a no-huddle offense, Freeman drove the Bucs 90 yards in just seven plays for the score.

It was the fifth touchdown catch of the season for Williams, who entered the game leading all rookie receivers in catches, yards and touchdowns.

Atlanta had the ball for 19:20 in the first half and scored on its first three possessions, but the Bucs used big plays to stay in the game.

Bryant kicked a 31-yard field goal to give the Falcons a 17-7 lead. Bryant hit the field goal with 5:27 left before halftime after the Falcons drove 72 yards in 11 plays.

Benn's first career touchdown catch, from 14 yards out, brought Tampa Bay to within 14-7 earlier in the quarter.

Benn's catch with 12:10 to play in the second quarter came less than 90 seconds after the Falcons had taken a two-touchdown lead.

Spurlock's 66-yard kickoff return gave the Bucs a first down at the Atlanta 32-yard line. Freeman found Benn, the Bucs' second-round draft pick, in the right corner of the end zone four plays later. Freeman hit Mike Williams for a 15-yard gain on the play before Benn's score.

Turner's second touchdown, a 10-yard run, gave the Falcons a 14-0 lead.

Atlanta marched 99 yards in 10 plays on a drive that took just 3:49. Ryan hit Michael Jenkins for 43 yards and a first down at the Tampa Bay 17. Turner scored three plays later, with 13:39 left in the first half.

The Falcons lost leading receiver Roddy White with a knee injury on the drive. White made an 11-yard catch on the first play, but rolled awkwardly as he was tackled with 2:24 left in the first quarter. White return at the start of the third quarter.

Turner had a two-yard touchdown run as the Falcons scored on the game's first possession to take a 7-0 lead.

Turner's run with 8:06 left in the first quarter capped a 13-play, 61-yard drive by the Falcons. Ryan was 4-of-5 passing for 33 yards and Turner carried eight times for 28 yards.

The Bucs were forced to punt on their first drive, after a Freeman scramble for 19 yards gave them a first down at the Atlanta 41. Williams lost two yards on first down and Freeman was sacked for a seven-yard loss.

Three offensive starters out with injuries led the list of Tampa Bay inactives for their first-place showdown with Atlanta.

Fullback Earnest Graham (hamstring), center Jeff Faine (quad) and right tackle Jeremy Trueblood (knee) didn't even make the trip to Atlanta along with backup defensive tackle Ryan Sims (knee).

Those four head up a list of Bucs inactives that also included second-year slot receiver Sammie Stroughter, who missed the game with a foot injury that kept him out of practice most of last week.

The other inactives for the Bucs were third-string and emergency quarterback Rudy Carpenter, rookie cornerback Myron Lewis and defensive end Alex Magee.

Rookie Erik Lorig replaced Graham at fullback, while Jeremy Zuttah moved from left guard to center to replace Faine and James Lee took over at right tackle. Rookie Ted Larsen replaced Zuttah as the starting left guard.

With Sims out the Bucs activated their most recent acquisition, defensive tackles Al Woods.