By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer
TAMPA, Fla. — Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes to Kyle Pitts Sr., and Zane Gonzalez kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to complete the Atlanta Falcons’ rally for a 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night.
Facing a third-and-28 on the Falcons’ final drive, Cousins completed passes of 14 yards to Pitts and 20 yards on fourth-and-14 to David Sills V to set up Gonzalez.
The Falcons (5-9) overcame a franchise-record 19 penalties and a 28-14 fourth-quarter deficit.
Baker Mayfield threw a crucial interception in the fourth quarter as the Buccaneers (7-7) lost for the fifth time in six games to fall a half-game behind Carolina in the NFC South. The four-time defending division champions face the Panthers (7-6) twice in the final three games.
Wearing their Creamsicle jerseys on the 48th anniversary of the franchise’s first win – that one came after an 0-26 start – the Buccaneers were booed off the field.
After Pitts made a leaping, acrobatic grab for a 7-yard touchdown with 3:34 remaining to pull the Falcons within 28-26, Cousins was pressured and threw incomplete on the 2-point conversion try.
The Falcons forced the Buccaneers to punt and got the ball at their 30-yard line with no timeouts and 1:49 to go.
Haason Reddick sacked Cousins, forcing a fumble that the Buccaneers grabbed coming out of the pile. But officials ruled it was recovered by both teams simultaneously, and the Falcons kept the ball.
Pitts finished with 11 catches for 166 yards, becoming the first tight end with 150 yards receiving and three TDs since Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe did it in 1996. Cousins completed 30 of 44 passes for 373 yards.
Mayfield tossed a 6-yard touchdown pass to Devin Culp, the second-year pro’s first scoring reception in the NFL that made it 20-14.
On the ensuing drive, Sills dropped what should have been a 44-yard TD catch and the Falcons ended up punting.
Bijan Robinson fumbled on Atlanta’s next possession after taking a shot from Christian Izien and Jacob Parrish recovered at the Falcons’ 25.
Mayfield fired a 3-yard TD pass to Chris Godwin Jr. and the two connected for the 2-point conversion to extend the lead to 28-14.
But Robinson’s 6-yard touchdown run cut the deficit to 28-20 with less than 10 minutes left. After the Falcons missed the 2-point try, Dee Alford intercepted a Mayfield pass and Atlanta drove 67 yards for a score.
Mayfield had all of his wide receivers available for the first time this season after six-time Pro Bowl pick Mike Evans and second-year pro Jalen McMillan were activated from injured reserve. Evans broke his clavicle on Oct. 20. McMillan broken three vertebrae in his neck in the preseason.
Evans made an immediate impact, catching six passes for 132 yards and drawing several penalties.
Pitts was wide open for his first two TD catches. He caught a 17-yard pass from Cousins to give the Falcons a 14-10 lead with less than one minute left in the first half.
Cousins tossed an 8-yard TD pass to Pitts to tie it at 7-all, one play after an offside penalty on cornerback Zyon McCollum during a field goal gave Atlanta a first down.
Cousins beat the Buccaneers twice last year in his first season with Atlanta. He threw for 785 yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception. He had 509 yards passing against them in one of the wins.
CHASE’S LEG
Tampa Bay’s Chase McLaughlin connected on field goals of 52 and 49 yards. He’s 10 for 10 from 50 yards or beyond this season.
INJURIES
Falcons: Wide receiver Drake London (knee) was inactive. … Cornerback Mike Hughes (ankle) left in the first quarter.
Buccaneers: McCollum (hip) left in the first half. … Left guard Ben Bredeson (knee) was out after being placed on injured reserve. … Defensive back Tykee Smith (neck/shoulder), linebacker SirVocea Dennis (hip), tight end Cade Otton (knee) and cornerback Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) were inactive.
More to come on this story.
UP NEXT
The Falcons visit Arizona next Sunday.
The Buccaneers visit Carolina next Sunday in a critical NFC South showdown.
