Leonard Fournette reeled in a touchdown pass from Tom Brady and rushed for another 1-yard score to fuel the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 21-15 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

Fournette had 10 catches for 83 yards for the Buccaneers (3-2), who held a decisive 421-261 edge in total yards en route to snapping their two-game losing skid.

Brady completed 35 of 52 passes for 351 to improve to 10-0 all-time in the regular season against Atlanta. He also famously rallied the New England Patriots from 25 points down to a 34-28 overtime victory over the Falcons in Super Bowl LI.

Atlanta’s Marcus Mariota completed 14 of 25 passes for 147 yards. He connected with Olamide Zaccheaus over the middle for a 19-yard touchdown pass and found KhaDarel Hodge for the subsequent two-point conversion, trimming the Buccaneers’ lead to 21-15 with 4:38 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Falcons committed penalties on successive third-down plays to extend Tampa Bay’s ensuing drive. A.J. Terrell was whistled for holding while Grady Jarrett was flagged for roughing the passer while completing a sack on Brady.

Avery Williams rushed for an 8-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter for the Falcons (2-3), who saw their two-game winning streak come to a halt.

Fournette opened the scoring early in the second quarter after rushing in for a 1-yard touchdown. The surge capped a 13-play, 88-yard drive.

Ryan Succop drilled a 21-yard field goal to increase Tampa Bay’s lead to 10-0 with 1:18 left.

Atlanta’s attempt to answer was unsuccessful after Younghoe Koo’s bid for a 52-yard field goal sailed wide right.

Brady connected with Fournette on a pair of passes to set up Succop, who made a 44-yard field goal as time expired.

Fournette reeled in a 1-yard touchdown pass from Brady to cap an 11-play, 74-yard drive midway into the third quarter. Brady then found former Falcons wideout Russell Gage over the middle for the two-point conversion, increasing Tampa Bay’s lead to 21-0.

–Field Level Media

Early NFC South supremacy is at stake on Sunday afternoon when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Atlanta Falcons.

It is far from the expected duel atop the division, even from just a few weeks ago. Then again, perhaps a bigger surprise is the reality that the Buccaneers (2-2) have lost two in a row and at home, no less.

“Yeah, you never want to lose back-to-back games,” Tampa Bay wide receiver Chris Godwin said. “Like I said, it’s a long year and we have a lot of prepared guys on our team, so I’m confident in our ability to kind of come together as a team and put it together.”

Few players in the NFL are as prepared as Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, who missed practice on Wednesday. The 45-year-old played through a right shoulder and finger injury during Tampa Bay’s 41-31 setback to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Brady downplayed the injuries Wednesday by providing a medical update during his weekly SiriusXM podcast with Jim Gray.

“My shoulder’s doing OK,” Brady said. “You know, just some bumps and bruises and I kind of took a hit there on it. Got some treatment today. Got a little bit last night. So I’m sure I’ll be fine in the end.”

Brady threw for just one touchdown in each of the Buccaneers’ first three games before finding the end zone three times to go along with 385 yards passing against the Chiefs. The three-time NFL MVP flustered the Falcons in two games last season to the tune of 644 yards passing and nine touchdowns.

The Bucs’ Mike Evans reeled in eight receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns versus Kansas City last week. He also found the end zone on two occasions in Tampa Bay’s 48-25 victory over Atlanta on Sept. 19, 2021.

Julio Jones is in line to play in his first career game against Atlanta. He is the Falcons’ franchise leader in catches (848) and receiving yards (12,896), while also ranking second in club history with 60 receiving touchdowns.

Jones (knee) joined Godwin (knee), former Falcon Russell Gage (hamstring) and Breshad Perriman (knee/hamstring) in being limited in Wednesday’s practice, while fellow wideout Cole Beasley announced his retirement earlier in the day after playing just two games with the team.

Left tackle Donovan Smith (elbow) also was limited in Wednesday’s practice, while tight end Cameron Brate (concussion), safety Logan Ryan (foot) and defensive tackle Akiem Hicks (foot) did not participate.

Atlanta (2-2) will be hard-pressed to snap a four-game losing skid in the series after placing versatile running back Cordarrelle Patterson on injured reserve. Patterson was nursing an ailing knee while rushing for 38 yards in the Falcons’ 23-20 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Rookie running back Tyler Allgeier stepped up and accumulated 104 scrimmage yards (84 rushing, 20 receiving) against the Browns. Caleb Huntley added 56 yards and a touchdown on the ground for Atlanta, which ranks fourth in the NFL with 168.0 rushing yards per game after finishing 31st with an 85.4 average in 2021.

“There are a lot of things we’ve changed behind the scenes offensively,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said, when asked what changed from last year’s team.

“We have different personnel, guys who needed to develop and we’re very pleased with the guys who were here last year.”

Tight end Kyle Pitts (hamstring) and punter Bradley Pinion (personal) did not participate in Wednesday’s practice for Atlanta.

Feleipe Franks worked with the first-team offense in place of Pitts, who caught one of four targets for 25 yards Sunday. He has 10 receptions for 150 yards and no touchdowns this season.

–Field Level Media