Matt Ryan threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns as Atlanta trounced the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers 56-14 on Thursday for one of the biggest NFL wins in Falcons history.
Julio Jones hauled in nine passes for 161 yards and a couple of scores, and Devin Hester set an NFL record with his 20th return for a touchdown.
The Falcons (2-1) led 35-0 before the Buccaneers (0-3) picked up a first down.
Ryan and the other offensive starters left the game after Steven Jackson's 3-yard touchdown run made it 49-0 before the midway point of the third quarter.
Atlanta built a stunning 56-0 lead. Tampa Bay scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to avoid the worst loss in franchise history.
Share
