Thursday Night Football features NFC South affair

The NFC South gets the national spotlight in Week 3, as the Atlanta Falcons host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football. As can be the case with short week games, we are missing some stars from this one. Falcons wide receiver Roddy White is inactive, and Bucs running back Doug Martin and defensive lineman Gerald McCoy are both inactive.

The 49ers do not face either of these teams this year, but the Falcons are off to a solid start this season, and could very well contend for a playoff berth. They lost in Cincinnati last week, but their season-opening win against the New Orleans Saints was a big one. If they want to contend in the NFC South, they were going to have to split with the Saints. They've taken their home game against New Orleans, so now they are playing with house money. It's too early to say anything for certain with the Falcons, but I think they will be in the thick of the playoff race.