.Michael RothsteinCloseMichael RothsteinESPN Workers WriterMichael Rothstein is a press reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN. Rothstein deals with the Atlanta georgia Falcons. You can easily follow him by means of Twitter @MikeRothstein.
Jenna LaineCloseJenna LaineESPN Staff WriterJenna Laine deals with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for ESPN. She began dealing with the Bucs for ESPN in 2016, yet she has dealt with the crew because 2009. Observe Jenna on Twitter: @JennaLaineESPN.
Oct 3, 2024, 11:46 PM ETATLANTA– The Atlanta Falcons as well as Tampa fl Bay Buccaneers established early that Thursday evening’s video game will be actually a repulsive slugfest along with both teams scoring touchdowns on their very first things, so it seemed to be suitable the NFC South face-off will be actually made a decision through a long TD pass.Kirk Cousins tossed his 4th goal of the video game, a 45-yard score to KhaDarel Hodge, who had actually entered the contest after a trauma to Drake Greater london, to offer the Falcons a 36-30 overtime victory.Younghoe Koo’s 52-yard basket as opportunity expired in law compelled overtime, and Relatives handled the remainder as he set a franchise record with 509 passing gardens to lift Atlanta georgia (3-2) right into a dead heat atop the division.Kirk Relatives scratched his fifth green light passing touchdown in the final min of regulation/OT in the last five seasons, which is the best in the NFL. AP Photo/John BazemoreAtlanta FalconsThe variation between making the playoffs and also certainly not, between winning a division and not, depends on games like this one, and Atlanta has already had its own portion of them.The Falcons have trailed within the last moment of the fourth one-fourth in all 3 of their triumphes this season. They are actually the first team in NFL record to have three victories within their initial five video games of a time in which they trailed in the last moment of the 4th quarter.At 3-2, with remarkable next draw New Orleans and Tampa Bay Gulf, Atlanta has an early lead in the NFC South due to tiebreakers over the Saints as well as Buccaneers.
That could verify crucial in December and also January in what looks a limited division.QB breakdown: Cousins looked well-balanced and back to being the quarterback the Falcons offered a $180 million deal to in the offseason. He finished 42 of 58 masquerade 509 lawns, 4 touchdowns and also 1 interception.It’s the 6th time he has tossed for 350 lawns and three goals in a prime-time game, matching Patrick Mahomes as well as Peyton Manning, depending on to ESPN Research.Eye-popping stat: Drake London continues to be prevalent when he faces Tampa Bay– three of his four job 100-yard video games have actually come versus the Buccaneers, consisting of Thursday’s 12-catch, 154-yard efficiency. He likewise got his very first goal versus Tampa florida Gulf in the 1st quarter.Promising pattern: Darnell Mooney remains to look more like the receiver he was in Chicago in 2021 than in his last two seasons with the Bears.
He possessed his very first activity along with multiple touchdown gets– in 2021 he had a game along with a rushing and getting touchdown– as well as his 9 catches for 105 backyards are each close to occupation highs for him. He did have two drops, however, including one that might possess confirmed costly.Most astonishing functionality: A week after not capturing a successfully pass versus New Orleans, tight conclusion Kyle Pitts put in his greatest analytical video game in practically a year, taking hold of 7 catches for 88 lawns, once more becoming aspect of Atlanta georgia’s offense. His catches and also backyards are his very most because Oct.
8, 2023, versus Houston, when Pitts had 7 catches for 87 gardens on a career-high 11 aim ats.– Michael RothsteinNext game: at Carolina Panthers (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. thirteen) Mike Evans marked his 99th goal reception, tying him with Don Hutson for 11th-most everlasting.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesTampa Gulf BuccaneersAll summer months long, the Bucs listened to the Falcons were the team to beat in the NFC South, in spite of Tampa fl succeeding the department the past three years. That rang true Thursday night, with it today being a three-team ethnicity along with the Bucs at New Orleans next.Tampa Gulf has a bunch of players it needs to have to receive healthy and balanced, and it has 9 times to perform it.
The Bucs must discover how to complete, however, along with the affront entirely obstructed in the second half as well as bad handling on defense.QB malfunction: Cook Mayfield finished 13 of 16 passes for 131 yards, three touchdowns– two to pass receiver Mike Evans– and no interceptions in the very first fifty percent. He was blitzed on 7 of 15 dropbacks (47%) in the first one-half, along with all three touchdowns arriving versus the blitz. Mayfield’s 11 touchdowns by means of the very first five video games are actually a profession best.But after the big initial fifty percent, Mayfield and also the Buccaneers rarely carried out anything in the 2nd fifty percent by means of the air, amounting to 49 yards.Biggest opening in the tactical plan: Along with Tampa fl linebacker SirVocea Dennis on injured reserve with a shoulder accident, the Falcons regularly made use of K.J.
Britt in insurance coverage. He gave up an 18-yard goal to wide receiver Drake London on the position drive.Surprising efficiency: The Bucs’ self defense submitting 550 lawns of total affront. It took a breakthrough last week versus the Eagles in relations to missed out on attacks yet struggled against the Falcons in this team.
The Falcons completed with 235 gardens after the catch, their very most in a video game because Week 8 of 2019 versus Seat (236 ).– Jenna LaineNext game: at New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. 13).