Falcons 31-26 Buccaneers (Oct. 27, 2024) Game Recap

TAMPA, Fla. – Atlanta is still working on not being the same old Falcons.

Kirk Cousins ​​threw for 276 yards and four touchdowns and the first-place Falcons defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-26 to take control of the NFC South race on Sunday.

“It's always great to come away with a division win,” said coach Raheem Morris, who is in his first season as Atlanta's coach. “We're talking about escaping the South and the boys have absolutely accepted what we want to do.”

Kyle Pitts scored on receptions of 36 and 49 yards and Cousins ​​also threw TD passes of 30 yards to Darnell Mooney and 6 yards to Bijan Robinson to give the Falcons (5-3) a two-game season series win with the to give three. Bucs Division Time Defender (4-4).

The Falcons improved to 4-0 in the NFC South and have a virtual two-game lead in the division standings with the head-to-head tiebreaker over second-place Tampa Bay. The Bucs also lost 36-30 in overtime in Atlanta on October 3, as Cousins ​​rushed for a career-high 509 yards with four touchdowns.

“This is the first time (since) I've been here with us and have a division lead this late in the season,” said Pitts, a fourth-year pro who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft. “It’s pretty cool for us to just be a new team with a new vision. We’ll just take it week by week.”

Baker Mayfield threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns, but also threw two costly interceptions for Tampa Bay. The Bucs may have had a chance to win the game after driving to the Atlanta 33 in the final minute, but Mayfield's Hail Mary throw from the 38 was intercepted by Rakim Jarrett behind the end zone as time expired.

“It just looked like a mosh pit back there. … One of those things where you have high hopes, but then you realize it didn't work out,” Mayfield said. “But for our guys to fight and get into that situation, you can really do that. You don't ask for anything more than that.”

Mayfield, playing with injured receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, threw two TD passes to tight end Cade Otton, including a 4-yarder that cut the former 31-17 deficit to five points with just under seven minutes left.

The Falcons took the ball and kept it in front of the Tampa Bay offense with the help of a 13-yard scramble by Cousins ​​and a fourth-down conversion until Younghoe Koo made a 46-yard field goal with 1:01 left missed.

“We haven’t gotten too caught up in the division about how much football there is left to play,” Cousins ​​said. “We understand the importance of winning the South and facing a divisional opponent, but we haven't talked about scenarios. … Right now we’re just trying to focus on playing our best football and seeing where that goes.”

With Godwin out for the season and Evans expected to be sidelined for at least three games, the Bucs are hoping Mayfield will be supported by a revitalized rushing attack and a mostly young group of playmakers, including Otton, Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, Rachaad White and Bucky Irving. will keep the Bucs in contention for their fourth straight division title.

White caught an 18-yard reception in the first half, but also lost an early fumble to set up Cousins' first touchdown pass to Pitts. Mayfield, who leads the NFL with 21 TD passes, has thrown seven picks in the last three games after only having two through Week 5.

The Bucs were also hurt by a botched fake punt play in the third quarter that gave the Falcons a 31-17 lead on Robinson's touchdown reception.

Jessie Bates III and AJ Terrell Jr. had interceptions for the Falcons, who have won four of five games after a 1-2 start.

“This week it was a little more pressing because it was a divisional opponent. … The attitude was to come here and take it away from them. “I thought we did it as a team,” Bates said.

“Whoever wins the division gets into the playoffs. … This is just one step closer,” Bates added. “It doesn’t mean the season is over or that the Saints will give up or the Panthers will give up, but we still have two more games to go to be unbeaten in the division and see what happens after that.”

setbacks

Wearing uniforms from the team's Creamsicle jersey era, Tampa Bay honored the 1979 Bucs, who won the franchise's first division title.

Injuries

Falcons: Played without safety Justin Simmons (hamstring) and ILB Troy Andersen (knee), who were inactive. … DL Ruke Orhorhoro (ankle) left the game in the third quarter and did not return. RG Chris Lindstrom (knee) missed time in the fourth quarter.

Buccaneers: WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring) left in the second quarter but returned in the second half. … LB Lavonte David (ankle) exited the game after being sidelined briefly in the fourth quarter.

Next

Falcons: Host Dallas next Sunday.

Buccaneers: Next Monday night at Kansas City.

——

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl