Kyle Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Falcons Stunning Fightback Win Against Tampa Bay.
Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being selected as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
NFL 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch field goal as time ran out, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a single game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 contests remaining in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their previous six outings. This features back-to-back home-field defeats in the span of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from postseason the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one touchdown all year, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the thirty-second final period rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta then regained possession with under two minutes remaining.
And despite being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins made key 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 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last four matchups. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off spot.
