Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch field goal as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a same contest.
After beginning the year as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just 3 games left in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their previous six outings. This features consecutive home defeats in the space of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Contest Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all season, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran quarterback 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 rally of his illustrious 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 remaining.
And even after being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to position the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from eleven catches.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their final four matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason berth.
