Kirk Cousins leads Falcons to 29-28 comeback victory over the reeling Buccaneers

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Maybe Kirk Cousins should've been starting the entire season.

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 to damage Tampa Bay's playoff hopes.

Cousins, who lost his starting job to Michael Penix Jr. last year after signing a free-agent deal that included $100 million guaranteed, has owned the Buccaneers since joining the Falcons last season. He's 3-0 against them with 1,158 yards passing, 11 TDs and one pick. He finished this one 30 of 44 for 373 yards.

“Pro Football tests you,” Cousins said. “It keeps me on my knees (in prayer). It’s been a difficult two years since tearing my Achilles. All I know to do is trust and keep going and walk by faith, not by sight, and that can be hard sometimes. Nights like tonight, you get a boost.”

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.

“This one is gonna haunt me. It falls on my shoulders,” Mayfield said. “It's not the defense's fault. It's my fault.”

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.

“You don’t make excuses," Bucs coach Todd Bowles said in an expletive-laden reaction. "You got to (bleeping) care enough where the (bleep) hurts. It’s got to (bleeping) mean something to you. It’s more than a job. It’s your (bleeping) livelihood. How well do you know your job? How well can you do your job? You can’t sugarcoat that (bleep).”

After Pitts made a leaping, acrobatic grab for a 7-yard TD 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 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 team 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.

Mayfield tossed a 6-yard TD 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 TD run cut the deficit to 28-20 with under 10 minutes left. After the Falcons missed the 2-point try, Dee Alford picked Mayfield’s 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 broke three vertebrae in his neck in the preseason.

Evans made an immediate impact, catching six passes for 132 yards and drawing several penalties.

“He's one of the ones that cares,” Bowles said.

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 under one minute left in the first half.

Cousins tossed an 8-yard TD pass to Pitts to tie it at 7, 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.

Tampa Bay's Chase McLaughlin connected on field goals of 52 and 49 yards. He’s 10 for 10 from 50 yards or beyond.

Falcons: WR Drake London (knee) was inactive. ... CB Mike Hughes (ankle) left in the first quarter.

Buccaneers: McCollum (hip) left in the first half. ... LG Ben Bredeson (knee) was out after being placed on injured reserve. ... DB Tykee Smith (neck/shoulder), LB SirVocea Dennis (hip), TE Cade Otton (knee) and CB Benjamin Morrison (hamstring) were inactive.

Falcons: Visit Arizona next Sunday.

Buccaneers: Visit Carolina next Sunday.

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