Pitts Hat-Trick Powers Falcons Stunning Comeback Victory Over Buccaneers.

National Football League 2025 Campaign: Week 15

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

Kicker Zane Gonzalez booted a game-winning field goal as time ran out, while Pitts became only the 8th tight end in NFL history to achieve three receiving catches and over 150 receiving yards in a same contest.

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

They currently possess a 7-7 mark after losing five of their previous six games. This includes back-to-back home-field defeats in the span of five days to two division opponents who are eliminated from postseason the race.

Contest Summary

The Buccaneers opened the scoring with a Sean Tucker score before the Falcons held a 14-13 advantage at the intermission. This followed Pitts, who entered Thursday's matchup with just a single touchdown all season, hauled in his first two scores.

The Buccaneers then surged into a 28-14 lead early in the final quarter after QB Baker Mayfield connected on touchdown passes 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 starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The veteran then led the Falcons to the thirty-second fourth-quarter rally of his distinguished career.

Tailback Bijan Robinson got into the end zone before Pitts completed his three-touchdown game. Atlanta then regained possession with less than two minutes remaining.

And despite being pinned to a difficult third-down situation after a fumble recovery and a 10-yard penalty, Cousins completed crucial passes 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 yards through the air and three scoring passes to Pitts, who amassed 166 receiving yards from 11 catches.

Postseason Ramifications

Atlanta is now 5-9, and their upset of Tampa Bay did a favour for the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers (7-6) now sit atop the NFC South and are set to face the Buccaneers in 2 of their last 4 games. Only the team that wins the division is assured a play-off berth.