Atlanta Falcons vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers Match Player Stats (Dec 11, 2025)

Kirk Cousins threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns, Kyle Pitts caught 11 passes for 166 yards and three scores, and Bijan Robinson totaled 175 scrimmage yards as Atlanta stunned Tampa Bay 29-28 at Raymond James Stadium on December 11, 2025. Zane Gonzalez kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired, completing a comeback from a 28-14 fourth-quarter deficit.

---

---

Final Score and Top Performers

Game Leaders

Quick Summary

• Atlanta overcame 19 penalties for 125 yards (franchise record)
• Tampa Bay led 28-14 with 13:29 remaining in fourth quarter
• Falcons converted third-and-28 and fourth-and-14 on final drive
• Dee Alford’s interception sparked Atlanta’s comeback
• Game affected NFC South standings

Team Statistics

The Falcons set a franchise record with 19 accepted penalties but still won. According to Pro Football Reference, Atlanta generated positive Expected Points Added on both fourth-quarter touchdown drives despite constant setbacks from officials.

Quarterback Performance

Kirk Cousins Stats

Cousins has dominated Tampa Bay over his last three meetings, throwing for 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns with one interception. That yardage total ranks first among all quarterbacks versus any single opponent over the past two seasons.

Baker Mayfield Stats

Mayfield’s fourth-quarter interception to Dee Alford changed the game’s trajectory. ESPN’s game recap notes Tampa Bay held a 96% win probability before that turnover.

Rushing Statistics

Atlanta Ground Game

Robinson extended his streak to nine consecutive games with 100+ scrimmage yards against NFC South opponents, the longest such run in franchise history.

Tampa Bay Ground Game

Receiving Leaders

Atlanta Pass Catchers

Kyle Pitts became the first tight end since Shannon Sharpe in 1996 to record 150+ receiving yards and three touchdowns in a single game. PFF graded Pitts at 90.9, the highest offensive grade in Week 15.

Tampa Bay Pass Catchers

Evans returned from a six-game absence due to a broken collarbone, tallying 132 yards in his first game back.

Game Flow and Scoring

Thursday Night Football at Raymond James Stadium drew 64,917 fans who watched a remarkable comeback.

Tampa Bay controlled the game for most of regulation before Atlanta rallied in the final period. The Buccaneers held a 28-14 lead when 13:29 showed on the clock in the fourth quarter. Atlanta’s win probability at that moment sat at just 4.8%.

The 19 penalties called on the Falcons matched the most in any NFL game this season. The Las Vegas Raiders drew 19 flags against these same Buccaneers in 2016. Ten of Atlanta’s infractions came on offense, wiping out multiple explosive plays including a 30-yard Bijan Robinson run.

First Quarter

Sean Tucker scored on a 1-yard run at the 1:38 mark. Chase McLaughlin converted the extra point to put Tampa Bay ahead 7-0.

Second Quarter

Kyle Pitts caught an 8-yard touchdown from Kirk Cousins at 12:11. The score came one play after a defensive offside penalty on Zyon McCollum during an Atlanta field goal attempt awarded the Falcons a first down. Zane Gonzalez’s extra point tied the game at 7-7.

Tampa Bay regained the lead on a 49-yard McLaughlin field goal at 2:04, making it 10-7.

Atlanta answered with Pitts’ second touchdown, a 17-yard strike from Cousins at the 0:38 mark. The PAT put Atlanta ahead 14-10.

McLaughlin nailed a 52-yard field goal as time expired, cutting Tampa Bay’s deficit to 14-13 at halftime.

Third Quarter

Devin Culp caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield at 6:22. The score was set up by Mike Evans’ acrobatic 45-yard catch over Cobee Bryant. McLaughlin’s PAT put Tampa Bay ahead 20-14.

Fourth Quarter

Chris Godwin caught a 3-yard touchdown from Mayfield at 13:34. Godwin also hauled in the two-point conversion pass, extending Tampa Bay’s lead to 28-14.

Robinson’s 6-yard touchdown run came at 9:37. A failed two-point conversion left Atlanta trailing 28-20.

Dee Alford intercepted Mayfield at the Atlanta 33-yard line at 8:22, setting up Atlanta’s next scoring drive.

Pitts hauled in a 7-yard touchdown at 3:34. A second failed two-point attempt kept Tampa Bay ahead 28-26.

Tampa Bay’s offense went three-and-out on consecutive drives, managing just one first down on their final two possessions. This provided Atlanta multiple chances to mount a comeback.

Atlanta received the ball at their 30-yard line when 1:49 remained on the clock. No timeouts. A holding penalty created third-and-28 from the Atlanta 29. Cousins found Pitts for 14 yards, then converted fourth-and-14 with a 21-yard completion to David Sills V down the right sideline. Sills had dropped a potential touchdown pass in the second quarter but delivered the decisive catch to the Tampa Bay 25.

Gonzalez kicked the game-winning 43-yard field goal as time expired.

Defensive Statistics

Atlanta Defense

James Pearce Jr. recorded two sacks in this game, giving him eight for the season. That total set a new Falcons rookie record, surpassing the previous mark that had stood since 1982 when sacks became an official statistic.

Tampa Bay Defense

Tampa Bay’s defense forced multiple third-and-long situations but couldn’t finish stops in the fourth quarter. The Buccaneers recorded just one sack while allowing Cousins to convert key throws on the final drive.

Special Teams

McLaughlin hit field goals of 52 and 49 yards. Gonzalez’s only attempt came on the game-winning kick as time expired.

Punting and Returns

Bradley Pinion punted four times for 170 yards (42.5 average) with two inside the 20 for Atlanta. Riley Dixon punted four times for 165 yards (41.3 average) with two inside the 20 for Tampa Bay.

Deven Thompkins returned two punts for 20 yards for Atlanta. Sean Tucker handled two kick returns for 42 yards for Tampa Bay. Kameron Johnson added one kick return for 30 yards and one punt return for zero yards.

Passing Efficiency Breakdown

The efficiency gap between quarterbacks showed up most in yards after catch and release time.

Cousins released the ball quicker. His receivers generated 204 yards after catch compared to Tampa Bay’s 57. Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts combined for 176 YAC yards.

Kyle Pitts’ Historic Performance

The fourth-year tight end delivered the best game of his career and one of the best tight end performances in NFL history. His three touchdowns gave him more in one game than his previous 13 combined.

According to the official game recap, he became just the eighth tight end since the 1970 merger to post 150+ receiving yards and three touchdowns in a single game.

An 8-yard reception in the second quarter came after a defensive coverage bust left him wide open. A 17-yard catch just before halftime found him in space against Tampa Bay’s zone coverage. The final score, a 7-yard grab with 3:34 remaining, cut the deficit to 28-26.

Pitts caught 11 of 12 targets for a 91.7% catch rate. He averaged 15.1 yards per reception and generated 81 yards after the catch.

Bijan Robinson’s Dual Threat Production

Robinson put together another strong performance against a division opponent. He carried 19 times for 93 yards and caught eight passes for 82 yards. His 6.5 yards per touch kept Atlanta’s offense moving.

A fumble in the third quarter, forced by Christian Izien and recovered by Jacob Parrish at the Atlanta 25, set up Tampa Bay with excellent field position. Robinson bounced back with strong plays down the stretch. His 6-yard touchdown run at 9:37 cut the deficit to 28-20 and started Atlanta’s comeback.

Robinson’s versatility as a runner and receiver created matchup problems. Tampa Bay couldn’t stack the box without leaving him isolated on linebackers in coverage, where he averaged 10.3 yards per catch.

James Pearce Jr.’s Rookie Record

Pearce recorded two first-half sacks of Baker Mayfield, bringing his season total to eight. That performance surpassed the previous Falcons rookie record set in 1982.

Pearce generated six total pressures on 27 pass rush snaps, a 22.2% pressure rate. Paired with fellow rookie Jalon Walker, who recorded half a sack, the duo strengthened Atlanta’s pass rush production.

Baker Mayfield’s Critical Interception

Mayfield’s interception changed the game when Tampa Bay had a chance to extend their 28-20 lead. His underthrown pass to Mike Evans set up Atlanta at their 33 with 8:22 on the clock.

Tampa Bay’s offensive line allowed five sacks, disrupting timing and forcing Mayfield into hurried throws. The Buccaneers managed just one first down on their final two possessions, providing Atlanta multiple chances to win.

Coaching Decisions Under Scrutiny

Atlanta’s decision to attempt two-point conversions after both fourth-quarter touchdowns created debate.

Robinson’s touchdown made it 28-20. The failed conversion meant Atlanta still trailed by eight points. Pitts’ touchdown made it 28-26. Another failed try kept Tampa Bay ahead by two. Had both extra points connected, Atlanta would have tied the game 28-28 before Gonzalez’s field goal.

Head coach Raheem Morris defended the aggressive approach, believing his offense could convert short-yardage opportunities. The strategy succeeded after Gonzalez’s field goal, but conventional extra points would have tied the game 28-28, requiring only a field goal for the win.

Tampa Bay went three-and-out twice on their final two possessions. With chances to extend the lead or drain clock, the conservative approach backfired and gave Atlanta multiple opportunities.

Historical Context and Records

Penalty Record Despite Victory

The 19 penalties called on Atlanta broke the franchise record of 17 set against San Francisco in 1978. Despite the flags, the Falcons recorded their fifth comeback victory in franchise history after trailing by 14+ points in the fourth quarter.

Elite Tight End Performance

Kyle Pitts joined exclusive company with his three-touchdown, 150-yard game. Only seven other tight ends have accomplished that feat in a single game since 1970:

1. Shannon Sharpe, Denver (1996)
2. Kellen Winslow, San Diego (1981)
3. Bob Tucker, New York Giants (1972)
4. Pete Retzlaff, Philadelphia (1965)
5. Sonny Randle, St. Louis (1963)
6. Jim Gibbons, Detroit (1962)
7. Bob Shaw, Chicago Cardinals (1950)

Kirk Cousins’ 8-yard touchdown pass to Pitts in the second quarter marked his 292nd career touchdown pass, moving him past Warren Moon (291) into 16th place on the all-time list.

Division Race Implications

This loss dropped Tampa Bay to 7-7 and second place in the NFC South. The Carolina Panthers moved into first place at 7-6. According to the Buccaneers’ official recap, Tampa Bay’s playoff probability fell from 71% to 54%.

The Buccaneers lost for the fifth time in six games after starting 6-2. With two head-to-head matchups against Carolina looming in the final three weeks, the division title remained reachable but required better execution.

Atlanta improved to 5-9, already eliminated from playoff contention after their Week 14 loss to Seattle.

Season Context

Despite missing the playoffs, this Thursday night victory demonstrated Atlanta’s offensive potential when execution aligned with opportunity.

Tampa Bay faced a critical final stretch with their playoff hopes in jeopardy. After this loss, three games remained to determine whether the Buccaneers could secure a fifth consecutive division title, including two matchups against Carolina.

Both teams faced quarterback questions heading into the offseason. Cousins proved he can still perform at a high level with time and weapons. Mayfield’s inconsistency continued raising concerns about Tampa Bay’s long-term plans.

This Week 15 thriller showcased two teams headed in opposite directions. Atlanta played spoiler while Tampa Bay fought for playoff survival. The comeback from 14 points down, overcoming a franchise-record penalty count, stands as a defining moment in both teams’ seasons. For comparison, these teams met in Week 1 when Tampa Bay edged Atlanta 23-20 on a late Emeka Egbuka touchdown.