What should have been a statement victory for Tampa Bay’s returning stars instead became another chapter in their late-season unraveling, as Mike Evans’ triumphant return from injury was overshadowed by defensive breakdowns and missed opportunities.
The Bucs’ failure to salt away a 28-26 lead with under two minutes remaining epitomizes their current struggles, leaving them clinging to playoff hopes despite controlling their own destiny in a wide-open NFC South race.
Here are my takeaways:
1. For the Bucs, an unmitigated collapse in the end
Tampa Bay was up 14 points with 10 minutes to go, in line for the right-the-ship win they sorely needed. A Falcons team that had lost seven of eight and long ago lost anything to play for but pride drove down the field three times to beat them.
A year ago, Kirk Cousins destroyed the Bucs twice, throwing for eight touchdowns, including a 500-yard game. He did more of the same again Thursday, finishing with 373 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. In his last three games against the Bucs: 11 touchdowns, 1 interception. In 14 games against anyone else: 9 TDs, 14 INTs.
The Bucs defense in the final 10 minutes gave up a touchdown to running back Bijan Robinson and a third touchdown pass from Cousins to tight end Kyle Pitts (who had a career day, more on that later), and even then, the Bucs had a 28-26 lead. The offense could have salted away the final minutes, but they didn’t, punting it back to Atlanta with 1:49 left.
A penalty and sack backed the Falcons into a third-and-28 situation, and they got out of it, with a 14-yard throw to Pitts, and on fourth-and-14, a 21-yard throw to receiver David Sills to keep the drive alive. Atlanta got one more first down, allowing them to run the clock down and win on a 43-yard field goal by Zane Gonzalez as time expired.
Cousins in the fourth quarter alone: 13-for-18 for 154 yards and a touchdown.
A week ago, the Bucs could find solace that they hadn’t lost to any bad teams this season. Now in a span of five days, they’ve lost at home to a 2-10 Saints team and a 4-9 Falcons team, losing their grip on the NFC South divisional lead.
2. Kyle Pitts loves playing the Bucs
If only Kyle Pitts could play the Bucs every week.
He had two touchdowns in the Falcons’ second win against the Bucs last year, and then had two touchdowns total over the next 22 games before Thursday’s game. Tonight, Pitts went off again – six catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, running wild through the Tampa Bay defense. He added a third touchdown in the fourth quarter, finishing with 11 catches for a career-best 166 yards and three scores.
For his career, Pitts averages 44 yards per game, but he’s never had that few in eight career games against the Bucs. He has six touchdowns in those eight games, and eight touchdowns in 67 games against everyone else.
(Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
As much as he’s panned as a former top-five pick that’s disappointed in his four seasons, Pitts has come on strong of late in receiver Drake London’s absence. Thursday was his third straight game with at least 80 receiving yards. He’s putting himself in position to be a coveted free agent next spring, whether it’s back in Atlanta or signing elsewhere.
3. Penalties nearly killed the Falcons
Penalties kept the Bucs in the game in the first half – 10 flags for 70 yards against the Falcons – and then it got comical in the third quarter. The Falcons gave the Bucs three first downs inside the 10-yard line, including a facemask to the 6, an illegal contact on a third-and-13 incompletion, then a tripping penalty to the 4.
The Falcons gave the Bucs eight first downs on penalties. That matches the most by any team in any game this season. Atlanta’s 19 total penalties is a franchise record. The old mark of 17 had stood since 1978 in a game against the 49ers.
4. The loss spoiled Mike Evans’ return from injury
Up 14 in the fourth quarter, the story looked to be the Bucs offense returning to form in the healthy return of receiver Mike Evans, who had missed six games with a broken collarbone. He came back in a big way, catching six passes for 132 yards.
Receiver Jalen McMillan also returned and played for the first time all season, sidelined after a preseason injury that fractured three bones in his neck. McMillan had two catches for 38 yards, including a catch inside the 1-yard line to set up the Bucs’ first touchdown. Chris Godwin, working his way back from two leg injuries, had his first touchdown of the season and caught a two-point conversion.
4 ½. Next week looms huge for NFC South
Tampa Bay is 7-7, but somehow still controls its playoff destiny. Two of their three remaining games are against Carolina (7-6) and no matter what else happens, if they sweep those two games, they win the NFC South for a fifth year in a row.
Carolina faces the Saints on Sunday – New Orleans won in Charlotte earlier this year – and a Panthers win would give them first place heading into a showdown with the Bucs in Charlotte next weekend. If Carolina can win its next two games, they’ll clinch the division next week with the win over Tampa Bay.
Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He previously spent a decade covering the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.
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