Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 selection process.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts registered three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the 8th tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a same game.
After beginning the season as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 games remaining in the regular campaign.
They now hold a 7-7 record after losing 5 of their last six outings. This includes back-to-back home defeats in the span of 5 days to two division opponents who are eliminated from play-off contention.
Game Summary
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all season, hauled in his first two scores.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The 37-year-old then led the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter comeback of his illustrious career.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found 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 backed up to a difficult third-down situation 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 field goal range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown throws to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta improved to 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped 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 division winner is guaranteed a postseason berth.
