Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Falcons Stunning Fightback Win Against Tampa Bay.

National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week

Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late comeback to secure a last-gasp 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a same contest.

After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games left in the regular season.

They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their previous six outings. This includes consecutive home-field defeats in the span of five days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from postseason the race.

Game Recap

The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just one score all season, hauled in his initial pair of scores.

The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.

Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second final period comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.

Tailback 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 ten-yard infraction, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and wideout 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 touchdown passes 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 will face the Buccaneers in two of their last 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason spot.