Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Atlanta Remarkable Comeback Victory Over Buccaneers.
The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic comeback to snatch a last-gasp 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning kick as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a single contest.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just 3 contests remaining in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after losing five of their previous six outings. This includes consecutive home-field defeats in the space of five days to two divisional opponents who are out of play-off contention.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single score all season, hauled in his first two scores.
The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced quarterback Kirk Cousins was making 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 fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished career.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being backed up to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta improved to 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 will face the Buccaneers in two of their final 4 games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason spot.
