3 key matchups: Bucs at Falcons

The Falcons return home Sunday to face Tampa Bay in a key division game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Here's a look at six key players to watch in the battle between NFC South rivals.

Buccaneers WRs DeSean Jackson and Michael Evans vs. Falcons CBs Robert Alford and Desmond Trufant: Jackson has 100 yards receiving in three of four games this season. Jackson and Evans are two of four NFL receivers to average 100-plus receiving yards per game and have three-plus touchdowns catches this season. The speedy Jackson will get Alford and Evans will get Trufant when the Falcons go man-to-man. "Both of those starting corners were there when I was there," Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said. "I know how good of players those guys are. Even though they've had some injuries in the secondary, we know those two corners can both really play."

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Bucs DE Jason Pierre-Paul vs. Falcons LT Jake Matthews: Pierre-Paul, who the Bucs acquired in a trade with the Giants, has four sacks and a forced fumble in his past three games. He's looking for a sack in his fourth consecutive game. Matthews was the only linemen who didn't give up a sack against the Steelers on Sunday. He had a bounce-back game after he gave up a key sack to Carl Lawson in the Bengals game.

Bucs LB Kwon Alexander vs. Falcons RBs Tevin Coleman and Ito Smith: Alexander has had some of his best games against the Falcons. He had 13 tackles in the last meeting, and in three games against the Falcons, he has 36 tackles (12 per game), a sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery and an interception. With Freeman out, Alexander will be stalking Coleman and Smith.

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