TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- In what should be a tight NFC South
division race all season, it's imperative to hold serve at home.
And that's just what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did Sunday.

Earnest Graham rushed for 116 yards - including a 68-yard
touchdown in the fourth quarter - as the Buccaneers recorded a
24-9 triumph over the Atlanta Falcons.

Brian Griese completed 18-of-31 passes for 160 yards and a
touchdown as the Buccaneers (1-1) held the Falcons (1-1) to
three field goals.

"We're 1-1, but there's a lot of football left to play," Tampa
Bay coach Jon Gruden said.

Making his first start in place of Jeff Garcia, Griese also
completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to John Gilmore.

"There are some things we need to work on, to get better at, but
it's good to do that after winning a game," Griese said.

After Atlanta pulled within 17-9 with 5:12 remaining, Graham's
career-long 68-yard run sealed the Bucs' victory

"It felt good," Graham said. "It didn't look like an Adrian
Peterson 70-yard run, but I made it. It still counts. I had some
guys in front of me blocking and I was good for the last 40. I
fought the last little bit."

Gruden quipped he hopes everyone keeps criticizing Graham for
not having breakaway speed.

"He's a slow guy, I have to remind everyone he's a slow guy,"
Gruden said.

Warrick Dunn, who played last season for the Falcons, added a
17-yard touchdown run against his former team.

Griese's TD pass, Dunn's TD run and Matt Bryant's 33-yard field
goal gave the Bucs' a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter.

The Falcons crept back within eight points after Jason Elam
connected on 32-, 27- and 24-yard field goals, but Graham's run
ended any thoughts of Falcons comeback.

"We did some things that were uncharacteristic, but we hung in
there today big time," Derrick Brooks said. "To give up the
points that we gave up against the Saints (a 24-20 loss last
week) and today, to see Atlanta, and hold them to nine points,
it's a tremendous effort."

Matt Ryan, who started the game with nine consecutive
incompletions, finished 13 for 33 for 158 yards and two
interceptions.

"We got off to a bit of a slow start," Ryan said. "No matter
what happens you've got to go out there and continue to throw
the ball and continue to make plays. Obviously you don't want to
start 0-9 and throw two interceptions, but you've got to keep
battling."

Ryan's third pass was intercepted by rookie Aqib Talib at the
Atlanta 21 and five plays later, Griese found Gilmore for a
touchdown.

"I think Matt saw a whole bunch of different things today,"
Atlanta coach Mike Smith said. "For all our young players, not
just Matt ... it's going to be a learning experience. This is
just their second game as National Football League players so
it's going to be a learning experience every time they go out
there."

Michael Turner had 14 carries for 44 yards, while Roddy White
led the Falcons with four catches for 59 yards.

"After you run for over 300 yards (against Detroit) the week
before, teams are going to try to take that away from you the
next week," Turner said. "We have to learn how to play through
fronts like that and still get good plays off."

Tampa Bay's Ike Hilliard had a team-high four catches for 41
yards. Dunn added 49 yards rushing, including his 17-yard
touchdown on a third-and-goal draw play.

"I pretty much just tried to make some guys miss and go to the
end zone," Dunn said. "The guys did a great job blocking. I
tried to set the blocks up."

The Buccaneers victory was their 12th in the past 16 meetings
with the Falcons.

"It was tough, man," Falcons defensive end John Abraham said.
"They came out to a good start at the beginning of the game and
we couldn't battle back and get it close enough. They showed
what good defense should play like and they played very good."