Kyle Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Fuels Atlanta Stunning Fightback Win Over Buccaneers.
The star tight end has now scored 14 scores since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: Week 15
Kyle Pitts scored three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a dramatic rally to secure a last-gasp 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests left in the regular campaign.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their last six games. This features back-to-back home-field losses in the space 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 matchup with just a single touchdown all season, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller 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 career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes left on the clock.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins made crucial passes to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their last 4 games. Only the division winner is assured a play-off berth.