Falcons–Buccaneers

The Rivalry

The series began in 1977, a year after Tampa Bay entered the league as an expansion team; Atlanta won that first meeting by shutout. For its early decades the matchup was occasional and low-stakes, with the franchises in different divisions. That changed in 2002, when both joined the newly formed NFC South and started meeting twice a year, turning a sporadic pairing into a genuine divisional rivalry. The 2000s brought the heat, as the clubs frequently jockeyed for the division crown. The arrival of franchise quarterback Matt Ryan helped tilt a stretch of games toward Atlanta, including a 56-14 rout in 2014. Tampa Bay swung momentum back when Tom Brady joined for the 2020 season.

What's at Stake

Sharing the four-team NFC South, the Falcons and Buccaneers meet twice annually with divisional standing and playoff tiebreakers consistently in play. The all-time series is essentially even. Tampa and Atlanta sit along the same Interstate 75 corridor, a connection that gives the rivalry its nickname and makes road trips realistic.

Famous Moments

• 1977 — Atlanta wins the first-ever meeting 17-0 over the expansion Buccaneers.
• 1987 — Tampa Bay records its largest win in the series, 48-10.
• 2002 — The teams join the new NFC South, beginning twice-yearly meetings.
• 2014 — Atlanta posts its biggest win of the rivalry, a 56-14 victory.
• 2020 — Tom Brady's arrival in Tampa Bay shifts recent momentum toward the Buccaneers.

Plan the Trip

The "I-75 rivalry" nickname doubles as a road map: the highway links the two host cities directly. Atlanta plays at the retractable-roof Mercedes-Benz Stadium in its downtown core, while Tampa Bay hosts at Raymond James Stadium, known for its pirate-ship landmark in one end zone. A trip to Tampa adds Gulf Coast weather and beaches to the divisional drama.

Sources

• Buccaneers–Falcons rivalry, Wikipedia