Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins capped off a career night with a game-winning touchdown pass to KhaDarel Hodge in overtime to give the Falcons a 36-30 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on “Thursday Night Football.”
Cousins passed for a career-high and franchise-record 509 yards along with four touchdowns and an interception to give Atlanta its third win of the season. The Falcons needed a 52-yard field goal from Younghoe Koo with no time left to force overtime. It was the second week in a row Koo hit a late kick to lead Atlanta to a win.
In overtime, Cousins hit Hodge, who turned upfield in stride and sprinted to the end zone.
ITS OVER FOLKS! @ATLANTAFALCONS WIN! pic.twitter.com/0siBNxaHKQ
— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2024
Another nail biter
The win will make for a fun weekend for the Falcons (3-2 overall, 2-0 in the NFC South) as they head into their mini-bye tied with the Buccaneers for the division lead but holding the early tiebreaker thanks to Thursday’s victory.
Atlanta’s three wins have all included the game-winning or game-tying score in the final minute of regulation or overtime. — Josh Kendall, Falcons beat writer
“You like that”
Cousins had his best day as a Falcon and his best day in a while anywhere. His previous high in Atlanta was his 241 yards in Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles. His lone interception of the game came on a desperation fourth-down heave inside the final two minutes. — Kendall
A perfect celebration in the locker room for the @AtlantaFalcons! pic.twitter.com/cdQ8ijkXir
— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2024
OCs on display
Everyone in Atlanta came into the game wondering if Falcons first-year offensive coordinator Zac Robinson could hold up in a head-to-head matchup against Tampa Bay coach and defensive play caller Todd Bowles. The answer to that was yes, but don’t forget about first-year Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen.
Like Robinson, Coen cut his teeth under Sean McVay in Los Angeles. Coen was the Rams’ offensive coordinator in 2022 when Robinson was Los Angeles’ quarterbacks coach, and Coen has been one of the league’s best coordinators through the early part of the season.
Tampa Bay made an Atlanta defense that played well in the first four games of the season look porous Thursday night, gaining 333 yards and averaging 6.5 yards per play. — Kendall
Bucs’ Baker Mayfield, Rachaad White step up
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield continued his hot start to the season. Mayfield only threw 23 passes, but he made the most of them.
He finished 19 of 24 for 180 yards and a passer rating of 137.5. Mayfield is third in the NFL in passer rating for the season (112.4).
Tampa Bay running back Rachaad White quieted some of the talk about Buccaneers’ rookie Bucky Irving on Thursday
Irving seemed to be pushing White for the starting job, but the fourth-year veteran responded with 72 yards on 10 carries against Atlanta, including a 56-yard gain in the first half. Meanwhile, Irving had a costly fourth-quarter fumble. — Kendall
(Photo: Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images)
