The Atlanta Falcons will host their NFC South rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a Week 1 matchup at the Georgia Dome on Sunday, Sept. 11.
Week 1 of the 2016 NFL season will feature a huge game in the NFC South. The Atlanta Falcons will play their final season opener at the Georgia Dome on Sunday, Sept. 11 when they host the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 1:00 p.m. ET.
FOX will air the important NFC South game. The available live stream can be found via NFL Game Pass. While Atlanta finished two games better on the year than Tampa Bay at 8-8, the Buccaneers defeated the Falcons in both of their head-to-head meetings last fall.
Tampa Bay will look to improve on its mediocre 6-10 2015 season. Second-year quarterback Jameis Winston will have last year’s offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter as his new head coach. Koetter replaces Lovie Smith in 2016.
Atlanta looks to be better in NFC South play under second-year head coach Dan Quinn. The Falcons went an abysmal 1-5 in the NFC South in 2015. If Quinn can improve the pass rush and quarterback Matt Ryan can grow in Kyle Shanahan’s West Coast system in 2016, Atlanta can challenge for an NFC Wild Card spot.
An interesting element in this rivalry game is that former Falcons head coach Mike Smith will make his return to Atlanta as the new Buccaneers defensive coordinator. Smith coached Atlanta from 2008 to 2014. Koetter was his offensive coordinator in the last few years of his Atlanta tenure.
Date: Sunday, Sept. 11th
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Venue: Georgia Dome
TV Info: FOX
Live Stream: NFL Game Pass
With the Carolina Panthers looking to win its fourth straight division crown, any win in the division will be huge for the Buccaneers, the Falcons and the New Orleans Saints. Carolina is likely not going to go 15-1 this fall, but remain the overwhelming favorite to win the NFC South.
Next: 2016 NFL season: Record predictions for all 32 teams
Will it be the Falcons or the Buccaneers that will get off to a fast start in 2016? Both teams have a great opportunity to make the NFC Playoffs as a Wild Card team. Who will be victorious in Week 1?