Kyle Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Powers Falcons Stunning Fightback Win Over Buccaneers.
The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic comeback 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 etched his name as only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a single contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's early-season pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just 3 contests remaining in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 record after suffering five of their last six outings. This features back-to-back home losses in the span of 5 days to two division opponents who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just a single score all year, claimed his initial pair of touchdowns.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive 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 final period rally of his distinguished NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained 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 10-yard infraction, Cousins completed 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 finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring throws to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their final 4 matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason spot.