TAMPA, Fla. — In a thrilling contest on Sunday, Kirk Cousins led the Atlanta Falcons to a narrow 31-26 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, enabling the Falcons to seize sole possession of first place in the NFC South. Cousins finished the game with 276 passing yards and four touchdown throws, showcasing his talent on the field.
Kyle Pitts was a standout for Atlanta, making significant contributions with touchdown catches of 36 and 49 yards. Additionally, Cousins connected on touchdown passes of 30 yards to Darnell Mooney and 7 yards to Bijan Robinson. With this win, the Falcons improved to 5-3 on the season, marking a sweeping triumph over their division rivals this year.
Despite a strong performance from Baker Mayfield, who threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns, the Buccaneers struggled with turnovers, including two critical interceptions. In the closing moments of the game, Tampa Bay had an opportunity to steal the win after driving down to Atlanta’s 33-yard line. However, Mayfield’s Hail Mary attempt from the 38 fell short, caught by Rakim Jarrett just behind the goal line as time ran out.
The victory not only put the Falcons at a perfect 4-0 record within the NFC South but also continued the Bucs’ struggle against them this season, having previously lost to Atlanta 36-30 in overtime on October 3rd. In that game, Cousins had an impressive outing with a career-high 509 yards and four touchdowns.
In this matchup, Mayfield was hampered by the absence of key receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Still, he managed to connect with Cade Otton for two touchdowns, including a crucial 4-yard pass that narrowed the Falcons’ lead to 31-26 with under seven minutes to go. The Falcons maintained possession after a critical 18-yard run by Cousins and converted a couple of fourth-down attempts, although their kicker Younghoe Koo missed a 46-yard field goal attempt with just over a minute left.
Given that Godwin is out for the season and Evans might be sidelined for at least three games, the Buccaneers are looking to revamp their offensive strategy. They hope a reinvigorated rushing attack combined with younger playmakers like Otton, Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, Rachaad White, and Bucky Irving will help Mayfield navigate the team through the rest of the season in pursuit of a fourth consecutive division title.
In the first half, White also contributed with an 18-yard touchdown reception but faced struggles as he gave up an early fumble that allowed Atlanta to score. Despite leading the league with 21 touchdown passes, Mayfield’s recent performance has been marred by seven interceptions over the past three games, a stark contrast to only two picks through the first five weeks.
Injuries played a role in the game as well, with the Falcons missing safety Justin Simmons due to a hamstring injury and inside linebacker Troy Andersen due to a knee issue. Defensive lineman Ruke Orhorhoro had to exit during the third quarter after suffering an ankle injury. On the other side, the Buccaneers saw wide receiver Sterling Shepard leave the game with a hamstring complaint but returned for the second half, while linebacker Lavonte David briefly exited due to an ankle issue but managed to finish the game.
Looking ahead, the Falcons will be hosting the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday, while the Buccaneers are set to face off against the Kansas City Chiefs next Monday night.
