Section 400’s Week 5 Thursday Night Football Roundtable

Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season begins Thursday night with yet another divisional rivalry (we are sensing a pattern here) between the NFC South leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons. While most of our guys are still wound up in October baseball (Brian may not be after tonight), they are still here to answer some pivotal questions heading into the first NFL contest this October.

In week five’s roundtable, Brian and Jack talk outstanding struggling tight ends, high-powered offenses, and best bets for tonight’s game, before ending with their prediction of which team takes control of the NFC South as we head towards the second half of the season. Make sure to check back every Thursday and Monday throughout the season for our takes on each primetime NFL contest!

Number One Spot

The Falcons came into this season with sky-high expectations, but it’s been the Bucs that have been the best team in the division early on. Do you see Tampa Bay leading the NFC South wire-to-wire this year, or does another team take home the divisional crown in 2024?

BH: I think it’s time as a society we stop doubting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers every single year. No matter how good, or putrid, the NFC South tends to be, the Bucs are somehow always at or near the top of the table by season’s end. I still have a profuseness of faith in Kirk Cousins as an NFL quarterback, but Baker Mayfield’s Buccaneers might be the best all-around team in the division. If I had to fire the cannon right now, I’m taking Tampa Bay.

JA: I’m sticking with the Buccaneers here, for now. Atlanta will eventually figure it out, but I’m not sure it’s this year.

Digits

At this point in the season, I think it’s safe to assume both of these squads have a real shot to play postseason football. If you had to go to the playoffs with one of these offenses, which one would you rather have?

BH: I went into fantasy football draft season thinking the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were going to have fun offenses this season. You would think that assumption would have led me to draft plenty of shares in each offense on my teams. It did not. Tampa Bay’s offensive unit is so much fun behind Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin. The running game and defense may be below-average, but I’d do to war with the aforementioned trio in a playoff shootout 10 times out of 10.

JA: Give me Baker Mayfield and the Bucs again. I believe in the continuity of years playing together over the new-look Falcons behind Kirk Cousins.

Get Right Witcha

Despite the quarterback change and departure of Arthur Smith, Kyle Pitts has still been non-existent on the football field this season. How much longer of a leash are you giving Pitts before declaring the first-round pick a “bust”?

BH: Unfortunately, I think the writing is on the wall for the 23-year-old. Kirk Cousins targeted him three times last week, and each one was an ill-advised throw into above-average coverage. For some reason Pitts just can’t figure out how to get open on the football field. He’s still super young, but eventually we have to see some production other than a solid rookie season.

JA: Pitts will continue to get chances. If you’re the Falcons, I’m not sure you have anyone better to throw out there instead of him, but he is most certainly a bust.

I Get The Bag

We’ve done pretty well betting the board this NFL season but have yet to sweep a roundtable. It’s time for that to change. Give me your best bet(s) tonight!

BH: I said it on the podcast so I can’t deviate now. The Buccaneers lead this all-time series 31-30 and the Falcons are the home team tonight. Give me Atlanta (-2.5).

JA: Baker Mayfield is going OVER 222.5 passing yards (-110) tonight.

Prediction Time

Which of these teams is winning tonight, and will be the score?

BH: Atlanta deserves a victory after that smacking in the Wild Card Series on the diamond. I’m really hoping my olive branch helps the Mets juju tonight. Falcons in a close one, 24-19.

JA: Bucs improve to 4-1 in a nail-biter, 27-25.