Ryan tosses 4 TDs as Falcons blow out Bucs

Associated Press

TAMPA, FLA.

Matt Ryan threw for 344 yards and four touchdowns, helping the Atlanta Falcons tighten their grip on first place in the NFC South with a 43-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night.

Julio Jones had eight receptions for 111 yards and a TD as the Falcons (6-3) avenged a season-opening loss to the Bucs (3-5). Tampa Bay has dropped two straight on the heels of a three-game winning streak that got them back to .500.

Jones, who’s closing in on another 1,000-yard receiving season with 970 through nine games, caught a 3-yard scoring pass in the third quarter, when Ryan led TD drives of 86 and 82 yards to break it open.

Levine Toilolo, Patrick DiMarco and Austin Hooper also caught TD pass from Ryan, who leads the NFL with 2,980 yards and 23 touchdowns vs. four interceptions.

Jameis Winston threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns for Tampa Bay, including scoring passes of 3 and 24 yards to Evans, who had 11 receptions.

Both of Tampa Bay’s young stars finished the game on the sideline, with Evans being evaluated for a possible concussion and Winston limping off after being shaken up when he was tackled trying to score on a two-point conversion play with just under seven minutes remaining.

Winston was tackled around the ankle by Atlanta’s Brooks Reed and also hit by cornerback Jalen Collins.

Mike Glennon finished up for the Bucs, taking his first regular season snaps since 2014. He threw a late TD pass to Cameron Brate to cut into a 23-point deficit.

RING OF HONOR

The Bucs inducted former safety John Lunch into the team’s Ring of Honor. Together with Hall of Famers Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks, Lynch formed the foundation of a dominating defense that helped transform Tampa Bay from the laughingstock of the NFL into a Super Bowl champion.