Pitts Three-Touchdown Performance Powers Falcons Remarkable Fightback Win Over Tampa Bay.
The star tight end has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts scored three scores as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic comeback to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time ran out, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same game.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit 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 games. This features back-to-back home defeats in the space of five days to two divisional rivals who are eliminated from postseason the race.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all year, claimed his initial pair of scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 lead early in the final period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring throws 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 veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble 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 kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from 11 catches.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta is now 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 two of their final four matchups. Only the team that wins the division is assured a postseason berth.
