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National Football League 2025 Season: Week 15

Kyle Pitts scored three touchdowns as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a late comeback to secure a nail-biting 29-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Placekicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning kick as time expired, while Pitts became only the eighth tight end in NFL history to record three receiving catches and over 150 yards through the air in a same game.

After starting the year as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the summit of the AFC South for the initial time in 2025, with just three contests remaining in the regular season.

They currently possess a 7-7 record after losing five of their last six games. This features back-to-back home-field defeats in the space of 5 days to two divisional rivals who are out of postseason 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 matchup with just a single score all year, hauled in his initial pair of scores.

The home team then surged into a 28-14 advantage early in the fourth period after QB Baker Mayfield connected on scoring throws to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.

Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting his fourth consecutive start after a year-ending injury to Atlanta's primary quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran proceeded to guide the Falcons to the 32nd fourth-quarter comeback of his distinguished career.

Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his hat-trick. Atlanta subsequently won back the ball with less than two minutes remaining.

And despite being backed up to a third and 28 after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and receiver David Sills V to get the Falcons in field goal range for Gonzalez to drill a 43-yard game winner.

Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who collected 166 receiving 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 sit atop the NFC South and will face the Buccaneers in 2 of their final 4 games. Only the division winner is guaranteed a play-off spot.