The Falcons could not get out of their own way for most of Thursday night, but they somehow pulled out a 29-28 upset of the Bucs on the final play. Zane Gonzalez’s 43-yard field goal was a dagger to the Bucs’ playoff hopes.
The Panthers are in the driver’s seat in the NFC South after the Bucs lost for the fifth time in six games, this one a heartbreaker. Tampa Bay fell to 7-7, with Atlanta improving to 5-9.
It was a night of star-studded performances. Kyle Pitts, Kirk Cousins and Bijan Robinson had big nights for the Falcons, and Mike Evans returned from his fractured collarbone for his best game in almost a year.
In a game that meant nothing for the Falcons, who already were eliminated from playoff contention, they overcame their own mistakes. Robinson lost a fumble that led to a 25-yard Bucs’ touchdown drive and a 28-14 Bucs’ lead in the fourth quarter, and the Falcons had 19 penalties for 125 yards.
The Falcons erased the Bucs’ 14-point, fourth-quarter lead with two touchdowns — one by Robinson and one by Pitts — followed by two missed 2-point conversions and Gonzalez’s kick.
Atlanta trailed 28-26 with 3:34 left when the Bucs got the ball back. Tampa Bay, though, couldn’t close it out.
Atlanta used its final timeout with 2:24 left in the fourth quarter. The Bucs then threw an incompletion on second-and-14, and Baker Mayfield was sacked for no yards to take it to the 2-minute warning. The Falcons got the ball back with 1:49 left in the fourth quarter, needing only a field goal for the win.
Bucs edge rusher Haason Reddick had a strip-sack of Cousins for an 8-yard loss, and officials ruled Cousins had simultaneous possession of the fumble, allowing the Falcons to keep the ball. On the next play, left tackle Jake Matthews was called for holding to set up a second-and-28 that turned into a third-and-28. Pitts caught a 14-yard pass on third down, and David Sills, who dropped a potential touchdown pass earlier in the game, caught a 21-yarder on fourth-and-14.
That led to Gonzalez’s game-winner.
The Falcons outgained the Bucs 476 to 338, with Cousins going 30-of-44 for 373 and three touchdowns. Pitts scored all three of the touchdown receptions on catches of 8, 17 and 7 yards. He finished with 11 catches for 166 yards. Robinson had 19 carries for 93 yards and a touchdown and eight catches for 82 yards.
Mayfield was 19-of-34 for 277 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Evans caught six passes for 132 yards. Chris Godwin and Devin Culp had touchdown receptions.
Falcons Clips
Kyle Pitts is having a career night, keeping the Falcons in Thursday Night Football.
The Falcons tight end scored his third touchdown on a spectacular catch that has drawn the Falcons to within 28-26 of the Bucs after a failed 2-point play.
Pitts has 10 catches for 152 yards and his three touchdowns tonight are only one short of his season career-best four touchdowns in 2024. His touchdowns have covered 8, 17 and 7 yards.
Dee Alford’s interception of Baker Mayfield at the Atlanta 33 set up the 10-play touchdown drive.
The Falcons caught a rare break on the drive when Darnell Mooney had the ball punched out by Lavonte David. The ball was surrounded by Bucs, but it somehow squirted back into the arms of Falcons offensive lineman Ryan Neuzil.
Atlanta has 18 penalties for 115 yards and a turnover tonight.
After Bijan Robinson fumbled on the Falcons’ previous possession, he scored a touchdown to get his team back in the game.
Robinson’s 6-yard run, followed by an incompletion on the 2-point attempt, has the Falcons within 28-20 of the Bucs with 9:37 to play in the fourth quarter.
The Falcons went 65 yards in eight plays after the Bucs had converted Robinson’s fumble into a Chris Godwin touchdown and two-point conversion.
David Sills had a 20-yard reception and Kyle Pitts an 18-yarder on the drive. Pitts has eight receptions for 135 yards and two touchdowns.
Robinson has eight catches for 82 yards and 15 carries for 76 yards and the touchdown, but the fumble looms large.
The Falcons have 17 penalties for 110 yards.
What can go wrong has for the Falcons tonight, much of it their own doing.
The Falcons have 16 penalties for 110 yards, with A.J. Terrell cited four times for defensive pass interference, including one that was declined. Terrell’s most recent penalty came against Mike Evans at the Atlanta 5-yard line, with the 10-yard penalty helping set up Chris Godwin’s first touchdown of the season.
Godwin caught a 3-yard pass from Baker Mayfield for the score and then had the 2-point conversion reception to give the Bucs a 28-14 lead with 13:34 left in the fourth quarter.
The Bucs needed only four plays to go 25 yards after safety Christian Izien forced a Bijan Robinson that Jacob Parrish recovered.
Mayfield now has 257 yards passing and two touchdowns, and Evans has six catches for 132 yards.
Welcome back, Mike Evans.
The Buccaneers’ No. 1 receiver, who is playing his first game since Week 7 when he broke his collarbone, has four catches for 102 yards. It is his first 100-yard game since Week 15 of last season.
He was instrumental on the Bucs’ go-ahead score, with a 45-yard reception to the Falcons 12.
The biggest play, though, was Dee Alford’s penalty for illegal contact on an incompletion on third-and-13. The Falcons also have penalties for a facemask and for tripping on the nine-play, 90-yard drive.
The Falcons have 14 penalties for 90 yards.
Tight end Devin Culp, who had only five catches for 88 yards and no touchdowns in his career, caught a 6-yard touchdown from Baker Mayfield to give Tampa Bay a 20-14 lead with 6:22 left in the third quarter.
Buccaneers cornerback Zyon McCollum had arguably the biggest play of Thursday Night Football thus far.
He was called for being offsides on a chip-shot field goal by Zane Gonzalez, giving the Falcons a first down that they converted into a touchdown on the next play. Atlanta leads 14-13 early in the third quarter.
McCollum now is out of the game with an injury.
He injured his hip on Kirk Cousins’ 11-yard pass to Kyle Pitts with 6:37 remaining in the second quarter. The Bucs initially listed McCollum as questionable to return but ruled him out in the third quarter.
He left with no stats.
If the Bucs are going to stop the bleeding on their season, and get back in control of the NFC South, they will need a comeback. And, they will need to figure out how to slow Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts.
Pitts has six catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns, and the Falcons have a 14-13 halftime lead.
Pitts has touchdown receptions of 8 and 17 yards, with the latter coming with 38 seconds left in the half to give Atlanta its first lead of the night at 14-10.
The Bucs hurt themselves on Pitts’ first touchdown. They had the Falcons stopped on third down and settling for a 31-yard Zane Gonzalez field goal, but Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum was penalized for being offsides. The 5-yard penalty on fourth-and-4 allowed the Falcons to take the points off the board.
On the next play, Pitts scored.
The Falcons have outgained the Bucs 222 to 185. Kirk Cousins is 12-of-16 for 155 yards and two touchdowns, and Bijan Robinson has three catches for 25 yards and 10 rushes for 64 yards.
If not for 10 penalties for 70 yards, the Falcons might lead by more.
Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans has returned from his broken collarbone, which kept him out most of the season, to catch three passes for 57 yards. Baker Mayfield is 9-of-19 for 145 yards.
Sean Tucker had a 1-yard touchdown run, and Chase McLaughlin kicked field goals of 49 and 52 yards, with the latter coming on the final play of the half.
The Buccaneers, who led 7-0, stopped the Falcons on third down in the red zone. Atlanta seemingly settled for a 31-yard Zane Gonzalez field goal, but Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum was penalized for being offsides.
It was close whether he got back out of the neutral zone before the snap. The 5-yard penalty on fourth-and-4 allowed the Falcons to take the points off the board.
On the next play, Kirk Cousins found tight end Kyle Pitts for an 8-yard touchdown.
The game is tied 7-7 with 12:11 left in the second quarter.
Cousins is 8-of-10 for 83 yards and a touchdown, with Pitts catching three passes for 47 yards. Bijan Robinson has six carries for 33 yards.
The Buccaneers have lost four of their past five games. They desperately need a win tonight to stop the bleeding.
Tampa Bay has taken a 7-0 lead on Atlanta with 1:38 left in the first quarter.
Baker Mayfield’s throw to Jalen McMillan was ruled a 20-yard touchdown initially but reversed by replay to a 19-yard gain to the 1. Running back Sean Tucker scored two plays later.
The Bucs drove 83 yards in 11 plays.
The drive included Mike Evans’ first catch, which went for a 12-yard gain, in his first game back since breaking his collarbone in Week 7.
Mayfield is 4-of-9 for 65 yards, with Emeka Egbuka catching a 23-yard pass.
Falcons cornerback Mike Hughes is in the X-ray room, questionable to return with a right ankle injury. He was injured on Rachaad White’s 20-yard run with 5:06 left.
Mike Evans is officially back.
After the Buccaneers activated their legendary receiver on Wednesday, Evans is active for Thursday night’s game against the Falcons.
Evans has been sidelined since suffering a fractured collarbone in October. He’s caught 14 passes for 140 yards with a touchdown so far this season.
The Buccaneers will also have second-year receiver Jalen McMillan on the field, as he is active for the first time in 2025. He suffered a neck injury during the preseason.
Additionally, left tackle Tristan Wirfs is active after missing last week’s game with an oblique injury.
For the Falcons, tight end Kyle Pitts is active after he was listed as questionable with a knee injury. Receiver Drake London, however, was previously ruled out with his knee injury.
Edge rusher Jalon Walker, defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus, and defensive lineman David Onyemata are also active after being listed as questionable.
Tampa Bay’s inactives are quarterback Connor Bazelak, linebacker SirVocea Dennis, guard Elijah Klein, cornerback Benjamin Morrison, tight end Cade Otton, defensive lineman Elijah Simmons, and safety Tykee Smith.
Atlanta’s inactives are London, receiver Jamal Agnew, linebacker J.D. Bertrand, defensive tackle Elijah Garcia, receiver Malik Heath, offensive tackle Michael Jerrell, and receiver Casey Washington.
