Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Atlanta Remarkable Comeback Victory Against Buccaneers.
Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 touchdowns since being selected 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 mounted a late rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single game.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 contests left in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing five of their previous six outings. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the span of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single score all season, hauled in his initial pair of scores.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with less than two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 passing yards and three scoring throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory 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 two of their last four matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason berth.
