Kyle Pitts Hat-Trick Fuels Atlanta Stunning Comeback Win Over Buccaneers.
Kyle Pitts has now scored 14 scores since being drafted as the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft.
National Football League 2025 Campaign: Week 15
Kyle Pitts scored three scores as the Atlanta Falcons mounted a dramatic comeback to snatch a nail-biting 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez converted a game-winning field goal as time expired, while Pitts etched his name as only the eighth tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and more than 150 yards through the air in a single game.
After starting the season as one of the NFL's early-season leaders, the Buccaneers have now fallen from the top 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 record after losing 5 of their last six games. This features consecutive home-field losses in the space of five days to two divisional opponents who are eliminated from postseason contention.
Contest Recap
The Buccaneers started the scoring with a Sean Tucker touchdown before the Falcons took a 14-13 lead at the intermission. This came after Pitts, who came into Thursday's game with just a single score all season, claimed his first two scores.
The home team subsequently raced into a 28-14 advantage early in the final quarter after QB Baker Mayfield threw scoring passes to Devin Culp and Chris Godwin Jr.
Veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins was starting 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 final period rally of his illustrious NFL tenure.
Tailback Bijan Robinson found the end zone before Pitts secured his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with under two minutes remaining.
And even after being backed up to a difficult third-down situation after recovering his own fumble and a ten-yard infraction, Cousins completed crucial throws to Pitts and wideout David Sills V to get the Falcons in range for Gonzalez to kick a 43-yard game winner.
Cousins finished with 373 passing yards and three touchdown passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from 11 receptions.
Playoff Ramifications
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 are set to face the Buccaneers in two of their final four games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off berth.
