Kyle Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Atlanta Remarkable Fightback Win Over Buccaneers.
Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted 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 same contest.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after suffering 5 of their previous six outings. This includes back-to-back home-field losses in the space of five days to two division rivals who are out of play-off contention.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took 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 home team then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the final quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second final period comeback of his distinguished career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins completed key passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three scoring throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final 4 matchups. Only the division winner is assured a play-off berth.
