Kyle Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Atlanta Stunning Fightback Victory Against Tampa Bay.
Kyle Pitts 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 notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic comeback to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning 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 yards through the air in a single contest.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 contests left in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 record after losing five of their previous six outings. This includes back-to-back home losses in the span of five days to two division rivals who are out of play-off the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just one touchdown all year, hauled in his first two scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after quarterback Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth consecutive start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old proceeded to guide the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found 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 backed up to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made key throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get 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 collected 166 receiving yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final four matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a postseason berth.
