Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being drafted as the number four overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: The fifteenth week
Kyle Pitts notched three scores as the Atlanta Falcons engineered a late rally to secure a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a clutch kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in league history to record three touchdown catches and over 150 receiving yards in a same contest.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's initial pacesetters, the Buccaneers have now dropped from the top of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three games remaining in the regular season.
They now hold a 7-7 record after suffering 5 of their last six games. This includes consecutive home defeats in the space of 5 days to two division opponents who are eliminated from postseason the race.
Game Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at half-time. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's game with just one score all year, hauled in his first two touchdowns.
The Buccaneers subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after quarterback Baker Mayfield threw touchdown throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was making his fourth straight start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished career.
Running back Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes remaining.
And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard winning field goal.
Cousins finished with 373 yards through the air and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 yards from eleven receptions.
Playoff Ramifications
Atlanta is now 5-9, and their surprise victory of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now lead the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last four games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off spot.
