Game story
In Week 17 of the 2012 NFL season on 2012-12-30, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took care of business against the Atlanta Falcons, pulling away with a 22–17 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
The highest-scoring period was Q3 with 16 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
M. Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) paced the passing game, with -2.68 total EPA, and -0.9% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, V. Jackson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +3.68 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+12.7% win probability) landed in the fourth quarter when Atlanta Falcons changed the game: (7:07) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass short right to 83-H.Douglas for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 22 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 V. Jackson · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +3.68 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.53 EPA/play
- 2 J. Freeman · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Passing · +2.71 total EPA · 38 snaps · +0.07 EPA/play
- 3 L. Stocker · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +1.87 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.37 EPA/play
- 4 M. Williams · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +1.74 total EPA · 11 snaps · +0.16 EPA/play
- 5 J. Snelling · Atlanta Falcons · Receiving · +0.75 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.37 EPA/play
- 6 J. Jones · Atlanta Falcons · Receiving · +0.66 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.11 EPA/play
- 7 J. Freeman · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Rushing · +0.60 total EPA · 1 snaps · +0.60 EPA/play
- 8 D. Martin · Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Receiving · +0.50 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.10 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
V. Jackson — TB · Receiving
V. Jackson posted the highest total EPA (+3.68) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Tampa Bay Buccaneers's efficiency. Across 7 counted snaps, they averaged +0.53 EPA per play.
The signature play (-4.66 EPA) came from Tampa Bay Buccaneers: (:25) 22-D.Martin left end to ATL 6 for no gain (28-T.DeCoud).
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — M. Williams (J. Freeman pass)
- Atlanta Falcons — M. Turner
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — D. Martin
- Atlanta Falcons — H. Douglas (M. Ryan pass)
Field goals
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — C. Barth
- Atlanta Falcons — M. Bryant
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — C. Barth
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers — C. Barth
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: The quarter finished even at 3–3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers connected on a field goal from the ATL 30 (Q1 51:28) — (6:28) 10-C.Barth 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-M.Koenen.; Atlanta Falcons connected on a field goal from the TB 10 (Q1 47:27) — (2:27) 3-M.Bryant 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher..
The second quarter: Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the period 10–0. Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the ATL 8 (Q2 38:51) — (8:51) (Shotgun) 5-J.Freeman pass short middle to 19-M.Williams for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers added 1 points from the ATL 2 (Q2 38:43) — 10-C.Barth extra point is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-M.Koenen.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers connected on a field goal from the ATL 4 (Q2 33:07) — (3:07) 10-C.Barth 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-M.Koenen..
The third quarter: Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the period 9–7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers connected on a field goal from the ATL 24 (Q3 25:52) — (10:52) 10-C.Barth 42 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-M.Koenen.; Atlanta Falcons found the end zone from the TB 17 (Q3 18:51) — (3:51) 79-M.Johnson reported in as eligible. 33-M.Turner right tackle for 17 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Atlanta Falcons added 1 points from the TB 2 (Q3 18:45) — 3-M.Bryant extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher.; Tampa Bay Buccaneers found the end zone from the ATL 40 (Q3 16:52) — (1:52) 22-D.Martin left tackle for 40 yards, TOUCHDOWN..
The fourth quarter: Atlanta Falcons won the period 7–0. Atlanta Falcons found the end zone from the TB 7 (Q4 7:07) — (7:07) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass short right to 83-H.Douglas for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Atlanta Falcons added 1 points from the TB 2 (Q4 7:02) — 3-M.Bryant extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Atlanta Falcons (Q4 7:07) — (7:07) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass short right to 83-H.Douglas for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Atlanta Falcons (Q4 2:07) — (2:07) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass incomplete deep right to 88-T.Gonzalez (24-M.Barron).
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q2 38:51) — (8:51) (Shotgun) 5-J.Freeman pass short middle to 19-M.Williams for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q3 19:34) — (4:34) (Shotgun) 5-J.Freeman pass short right intended for 11-T.Underwood INTERCEPTED by 22-A.Samuel at TB 32. 22-A.Samuel to TB 21 for 11 yards (88-L.Stocker).
- Atlanta Falcons (Q2 36:13) — (6:13) 5-M.Bosher punt is BLOCKED by 56-D.Watson, Center-47-J.Harris, ball out of bounds at ATL 26.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q4 0:25) — (:25) 22-D.Martin left end to ATL 6 for no gain (28-T.DeCoud).
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q3 19:34) — (4:34) (Shotgun) 5-J.Freeman pass short right intended for 11-T.Underwood INTERCEPTED by 22-A.Samuel at TB 32. 22-A.Samuel to TB 21 for 11 yards (88-L.Stocker).
- Atlanta Falcons (Q4 7:07) — (7:07) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass short right to 83-H.Douglas for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Q3 16:52) — (1:52) 22-D.Martin left tackle for 40 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
M.Ryan led all passers in efficiency for Atlanta Falcons, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- M.Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) · 49 dropbacks · 57.1% completion · -0.9% CPOE · -0.05 EPA/play · -2.68 total EPA
- J.Freeman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) · 38 dropbacks · 50.0% completion · -11.6% CPOE · +0.07 EPA/play · +2.71 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Atlanta Falcons |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.024 | -0.149 |
| Offensive success rate | 38.6% | 38.0% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.071 | -0.055 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.171 | -0.231 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.149 | +0.024 |
| Defensive success rate | 62.0% | 61.4% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Tampa Bay Buccaneers generated the better offensive EPA per play (-0.02 vs -0.15), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Atlanta Falcons: 12 drives, -11.77 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 12 drives, -1.95 total EPA, 5 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- V. Jackson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- J. Freeman (TB) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers FG (+3) — Q1 51:28 · ATL 30 · Score 3-0
(6:28) 10-C.Barth 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-M.Koenen. - Atlanta Falcons FG (+3) — Q1 47:27 · TB 10 · Score 3-3
(2:27) 3-M.Bryant 28 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q2 38:51 · ATL 8 · Score 9-3
(8:51) (Shotgun) 5-J.Freeman pass short middle to 19-M.Williams for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers XP (+1) — Q2 38:43 · ATL 2 · Score 10-3
10-C.Barth extra point is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-M.Koenen. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers FG (+3) — Q2 33:07 · ATL 4 · Score 13-3
(3:07) 10-C.Barth 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-M.Koenen. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers FG (+3) — Q3 25:52 · ATL 24 · Score 16-3
(10:52) 10-C.Barth 42 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-M.Koenen. - Atlanta Falcons TD (+6) — Q3 18:51 · TB 17 · Score 16-9
(3:51) 79-M.Johnson reported in as eligible. 33-M.Turner right tackle for 17 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Atlanta Falcons XP (+1) — Q3 18:45 · TB 2 · Score 16-10
3-M.Bryant extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers TD (+6) — Q3 16:52 · ATL 40 · Score 22-10
(1:52) 22-D.Martin left tackle for 40 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Atlanta Falcons TD (+6) — Q4 7:07 · TB 7 · Score 22-16
(7:07) (Shotgun) 2-M.Ryan pass short right to 83-H.Douglas for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Atlanta Falcons XP (+1) — Q4 7:02 · TB 2 · Score 22-17
3-M.Bryant extra point is GOOD, Center-47-J.Harris, Holder-5-M.Bosher.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Atlanta Falcons 22-17 in Week 17, 2012 on 2012-12-30.
What was the final score of Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons?
The final score was Tampa Bay Buccaneers 22, Atlanta Falcons 17 (TB 22-17 ATL) in Week 17, 2012 on 2012-12-30.
What was the score by quarter in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons?
Q1: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3, Atlanta Falcons 3; Q2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10, Atlanta Falcons 0; Q3: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9, Atlanta Falcons 7; Q4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0, Atlanta Falcons 7; Final: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 22, Atlanta Falcons 17.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — M. Williams (J. Freeman pass) (Q2 38:51) Atlanta Falcons touchdown — M. Turner (Q3 18:51) Tampa Bay Buccaneers touchdown — D. Martin (Q3 16:52) Atlanta Falcons touchdown — H. Douglas (M. Ryan pass) (Q4 7:07) Tampa Bay Buccaneers field goal — C. Barth (Q1 51:28, 3 pts) Atlanta Falcons field goal — M. Bryant (Q1 47:27, 3 pts) Tampa Bay Buccaneers field goal — C. Barth (Q2 33:07, 3 pts) Tampa Bay Buccaneers field goal — C. Barth (Q3 25:52, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons?
M. Ryan (Atlanta Falcons), 57.1% completion, -0.9% CPOE, -0.05 EPA per dropback, -2.68 total passing EPA. J. Freeman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), 50.0% completion, -11.6% CPOE, +0.07 EPA per dropback, +2.71 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons?
V. Jackson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) led the game in total EPA with +3.68 on receiving plays. across 7 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-4.66 EPA): (:25) 22-D.Martin left end to ATL 6 for no gain (28-T.DeCoud).. The biggest win-probability swing was +12.7%.
Was Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons a close game?
Yes — the margin was 5 points. Tampa Bay Buccaneers won 22-17 in a game that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
Season records after this game
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Entered 6-9 Now 7-9 W
Atlanta Falcons
Entered 13-2 Now 13-3 L
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