Kyle Pitts has now recorded 14 touchdowns since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Season: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to record three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a single contest.
After starting the year as one of the NFL's initial leaders, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the summit of the AFC South for the first time in 2025, with just 3 games left in the regular season.
They currently possess a 7-7 mark after losing 5 of their previous six games. This includes consecutive home defeats in the space of 5 days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from play-off the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just one score all year, claimed his initial pair of touchdowns.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth quarter after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Experienced signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second final period comeback of his distinguished career.
Running back Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained 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 infraction, Cousins made crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to position the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins ended the day with 373 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who collected 166 yards from eleven catches.
Postseason Implications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay greatly helped the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final four matchups. Only the team that wins the division is guaranteed a play-off spot.
