Kyle Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Atlanta Stunning Fightback Victory Against Buccaneers.
The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 games left in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their previous six outings. This features back-to-back home-field defeats in the span of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single score all season, claimed his first two scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the 32nd final period rally of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained the ball with under two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in two of their last four matchups. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
