The Atlanta Falcons were without 4-time second team All-Pro safety Justin Simmons on Sunday. But that was just fine because they still had 2023 second-team All-Pro safety Jessie Bates.

Bates was once again the best player on Atlanta’s defense in Week 8. Behind his performance, the Falcons defense forced 3 takeaways and did enough to hold on for a 31-26 win.

With the win, the Falcons moved into sole possession of first place in the NFC South. They will now also hold the tiebreaker with the Buccaneers as the Falcons swept Tampa Bay.

In the crucial victory, as is often the case, Bates stood out from the first drive.

He recorded a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on the second play of the game. The big play set the tone for the entire afternoon as it allowed the Falcons offense to start its first drive of the day at the Buccaneers 43-yard line.

To record the fumble, Bates hit the loose ball from Buccaneers running back Rachaad White. Four plays later, the Falcons took a 7–0 lead on a Kirk Cousins ​​touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Pitts.

Bates forced another turnover when he intercepted quarterback Baker Mayfield early in the third quarter. On the play, the Buccaneers attempted a flea-flicker at the Falcons’ 37-yard line.

But Bates didn’t bite the fake and then made an absolutely tremendous play on the ball to Buccaneers wide receiver Ryan Miller.

That interception didn’t directly lead to another Falcons touchdown. But it helped keep the Bucaneers off the scoreboard in the third quarter. The Falcons drove into the end zone again in the final minute of the third to go up by 14 points.

Tampa Bay continued to create scoring opportunities. But fellow defensive end cornerback AJ Terrell had the next potential game-changing play for the Falcons with a Mayfield interception on a throw in the red zone early in the fourth quarter.

The takeaways, two of which came from Bates, gave the Falcons three more possessions and a huge lead in the game. Atlanta won the turnover battle 3-0.

Bates finished with 5 total tackles and 1 pass defensed to go with his forced fumble and interception. Only Terrell and Mike Hughes had more tackles in the Falcons secondary Sunday.

As great as Bates played, however, Richie Grant, who made his first start at the other safety position this season in place of Simmons, was just as bad. He was often out of position and largely invisible in the Falcons secondary.

He finished with 4 total tackles.

That’s too bad for the Falcons, as ESPN floated Grant as a potential trade chip last week. It’s hard to imagine Grant being worth anything on the trade market after Sunday.

The Falcons also continued to generate very little pass rush. Atlanta’s defense had zero sacks and zero quarterback hits against Mayfield on Sunday.

That won’t be good enough most weeks. But it was largely because of Bates’ effort on Sunday.