Kyle Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Falcons Remarkable Comeback Win Against Tampa Bay.
The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
NFL 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch field goal as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games left in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after suffering five of their previous six games. This includes consecutive home-field losses in the space of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 advantage at half-time. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just one touchdown all season, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The home team then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after QB Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a season-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the 32nd final period rally of his distinguished career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta subsequently won back possession with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins made key passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last four games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off spot.
