NFL Score: Falcons destroy Bucs’ playoff hopes behind Kyle Pitts’ big night

It was a hard-fought NFC South matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night, and the latter would play spoiler.

The Falcons, who were eliminated from the playoffs last week, made it more difficult for the Bucs to win the division after a walk-off field goal by Zane Gonzalez in a 29-28 victory.

Tampa Bay is now 7-7 on the year after dropping their last two games, while the Falcons are 5-9.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON Pakinomist

One of the big storylines coming into the game was the return of veteran receiver Mike Evans, who had been sidelined since Week 4 with a collarbone injury.

While many wondered if the Bucs would have him at a moment’s notice, it didn’t seem that way as quarterback Baker Mayfield loved getting him the ball in this one. Evans finished with 132 yards on just six catches to lead the way for the Bucs in the passing game.

However, Evans’ impressive performance was nothing compared to Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts, who had a career game on “Thursday Night Football.” In the absence of star receiver Drake London, Pitts became Kirk Cousins’ favorite target of the night.

TOM BRADY MAIL BAG: THE ONE FOOD THE GOAT CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT AND IT’S NOT AVOCADO

The 6-foot-6 tight end had three touchdown catches and 166 yards on 11 catches as he and Cousins ​​found a quick connection early and it came in clutch late in the game.

After Mayfield was picked off by Dee Alford in a 28–20 game, Cousins ​​and the Falcons’ offense had the opportunity to march down the field and tie the game, given they scored a touchdown and had a successful two-point conversion.

Cousins, who had found Pitts twice before, lofted a pass to his trusty tight end, who secured it and managed to stay in range for his third score of the night. Video review was needed to determine if he remained in bounds, and while it appeared his elbow was out, his backside hit the turf in bounds at the same moment. With officials calling a touchdown initially, that was insufficient evidence to overturn the score.

Kirk Cousins ​​of the Atlanta Falcons warms up prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on December 11, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

But the Bucs were still up two and needed a big stop on the two-point play. They got just that when Cousins ​​was rushed and the pass went incomplete.

Mayfield, who had two touchdown passes in this game to Chris Godwin and Devin Culp, knew they could ice the game with a pair of first downs on the ensuing drive. But backed up on third-and-14, Mayfield was sacked after the two-minute warning.

Cousins ​​didn’t have any timeouts to work with after getting the ball back, and it was an inauspicious start to the drive as he was strip-sacked and the game could have been over right then and there.

But the ruling was that both the Bucs and Falcons had the ball, meaning the tie goes to the team that was on offense. That still put Cousins ​​back on second-and-18, which turned into second-and-28 on a team penalty accepted after an incompletion.

However, Cousins ​​used Pitts and David Sills V to get the length needed to keep the drive alive. The Falcons were in field goal range for Gonzalez, who eventually buried the 43-yarder for the win.

The Bucs were up 28-14 heading into the fourth quarter, but a defensive breakdown at the worst time cost them in the end.

Bundle FOX One and FOX Nation to stream the entire FOX Nation library plus live FOX News, Sports and Entertainment at the lowest price of the year. The offer ends on 4 January 2026. (Fox One; Fox Nation)

In the box score, Cousins ​​was phenomenal in primetime, passing for 373 yards with his three connections for Pitts.

And we can’t forget Bijan Robinson, the league leader in scrimmage yards who totaled 175 (93 rushing, 82 receiving) on ​​27 total touches for Atlanta.