In a short week, the 3-1 Bucs had to head to Atlanta to face the 2-2 Falcons on Thursday Night Football. After a big home win on Sunday, Tampa Bay was looking for an early escape in the NFC South with a 4-1 record before a mini-bye week heading into Week 6.
Thanks to Baker Mayfield’s 24 points in the first half and the offense, the Bucks held the lead going into halftime. The second half was pretty back-and-forth, and by the end of it, it looked like Tampa Bay was going to get a big road win. Instead, the offense couldn’t get a final first down, the defense couldn’t make a final stop, and Atlanta was forced into overtime. From there, the Falcons won the coin toss, scored a walk-off touchdown, and won 36-30 in overtime without Mayfield even having a chance to touch the ball.
Tampa Bay is currently 3-2 overall, trailing Atlanta in the NFC South race with a tiebreaker. Todd Bowles’ team needs time to bounce back from an embarrassing loss and get healthy before facing the Saints in New Orleans in Week 6.
Here’s a recap of all the action from Thursday night.
Falcons 36, Bucks 30 (OT)
Falcons WR Drake Rondon and Bucks NCB Tykie Smith – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Once the Falcons had the ball to take the lead, they marched toward the Bucs’ field, where Kirk Cousins beat Todd Bowles’ zone defense and helped the home team take the lead. Cousins scored an 18-yard touchdown to Drake Rondon to cap a seven-play, 70-yard drive that gave the Falcons an early 7-0 lead.
The Bucks’ offense responded quickly, with Baker Mayfield connecting Mike Evans from the jump for the second straight week. Evans got two first downs to start the drive, and Cade Otton moved the chains again with a third-down screen pass. Mayfield then connected with Chris Godwin to get Tampa Bay inside the 5-yard line, and Mayfield and Evans connected for a 2-yard touchdown. Then Chase McLaughlin’s PAT made it 7-7.
It looked like the Falcons were going to drive up the field again on their next attack, but Vita Baer got Cousins for a third-down sack, forcing a field goal try. Yong-Ho Koo, Atlanta’s hero in last week’s win, initially missed from 46 yards to go. However, the kick went up due to an offside penalty and Ku was given another try, but he failed again and the game was tied at 7 points.
Mayfield and the offense moved the ball a bit themselves on the next drive, but eventually stalled and had to attempt a field goal of their own. McLaughlin took the kick from 53 yards remaining, giving the visitors a 10-7 advantage late in the first quarter.
Despite their previous drive ending in a missed kick, the Falcons continued to dominate the Bucks’ defense as the second quarter began. Atlanta also overcame several penalties and regained the lead on 3rd-and-13 with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Darnell Mooney. This gave the Falcons a 14-10 lead, but it didn’t last long.
Bucks WR Sterling Shepard – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Sean Tucker returned the ensuing kickoff 53 yards, and the Bucs got off to a strong start, with Otton’s 22-yard catch bringing the offense to the red zone. From there, Mayfield and Evans reconnected. This time, the shot from 23 yards left gave the Bucks a 17-14 advantage early in the second set. And for his second touchdown of the night, Evans made history, Reached 100 career touchdown mark (99 receptions, 1 fumble recovery).
After Koo hit a 54-yard field goal to tie the game at 17, the Bucks’ offense continued their hot start with another explosive play. Rathard White broke away with a 56-yard run, and a few plays later Mayfield linked up with former Oklahoma Sooners teammate Sterling Shepard to give the Bucs a 24-17 lead.
And while Atlanta appeared to be trying to fight back again during the two-minute drill, a sack by Logan Hall effectively erased the momentum, leaving Tampa Bay with a 24-17 lead at halftime.
The Bucs started the second half with a holding penalty by Justin Scurll, which led to Trenton Gill’s first punt of the game. The Falcons’ offense fought back, putting together a 12-play long drive lasting nearly six minutes, including a fourth-down conversion. But after a costly penalty on Kadarel Hodge and a sack on Anthony Nelson, Atlanta had to settle for a 48-yard field goal by Koo. This made the score 24-20 with 6 minutes 21 seconds left in the third quarter.
Bucks WR Chris Godwin – Photo courtesy of USA Today
The Bucks’ next possession was a big one for Chris Godwin, but he was bailed out early as Evans recovered a forced fumble by Jesse Bates. Tampa Bay threatened to find the end zone again, but a third-down sack by Mayfield forced Todd Bowles to set up another McLaughlin field goal. This brought the lead back to 7 points at 27-20 with 1 minute 17 seconds left in the third.
However, the Bucks’ defense was not up to the task of protecting that lead. Despite Bijan Robinson finally breaking through on a chunk run and the Falcons eventually facing 4th-and-4 at their own 12-yard line, Tykie Smith was unable to play, resulting in a 12-yard touchdown from Cousins to Mooney. He converted with a pass and tied the score. The game was 27-27.
Several first downs sparked Tampa Bay’s next drive, but it quickly fizzled out. still, McLaughlin made another 53-yard field goal. That gave the visitors a 30-27 lead with 10:23 remaining. And while the Falcons looked poised to continue tearing apart the Buccaneer defense for the winning touchdown, a crucial third-down drop by wide-open Darnell Mooney led to a game-clinching 54-yard field trip. I was forced to try to score. But then the biggest play of the night for the Bucs happened. When Tavierre Thomas blocks Koo’s kick. They held a 30-27 lead with 6:29 left.
🚫Blocked🚫
📺: #TBvsATL above @Prime Video pic.twitter.com/u8dbmszDg7
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 4, 2024
Tampa Bay got two big third-down conversions and was poised to waste time and add more points. But just as Bucky Irving was close to getting another first down, Jesse Bates knocked the ball away, giving Atlanta a chance at a fumble at the worst possible time for Tampa Bay.
But for what appeared to be the first time all night, Todd Bowles’ defense stepped up. Yaya Diaby’s tackle for loss, Logan Hall’s second down sack and Zion McCollum’s great tackle on third down set 4 and 15. And on that fourth down, Lavonte David picked off Kirk Cousins and put the ball back. Buccaneer attack.
But after the defense kept putting pressure on the offense all night, it was time for the offense to turn the tables and step up the defense again. The Bucs’ run game was going nowhere, but Graham Burton’s holding call gave it some momentum. So the Falcons had to use all three timeouts, but got the ball back with 1:12 remaining, needing only a field goal.
Bucks ILB KJ Britt – Photo Credit: Jeffrey Jones/PR
Atlanta got to work right away, easily reaching midfield by the 21-second mark. Then, with just one second left, the big play came. Cousins found Rondon in the middle of the field, and the Falcons barely got the spike in time, leaving a second left for a potential game-clinching field goal. A delay of game penalty set Koo Seung back, but he still gained 52 yards and sent the game to overtime.
The Falcons also won the overtime coin toss, and it didn’t take long for Cousins to score the game-winning 45-yard touchdown to Hodge, leaving the Bucs wondering how things could have gone so wrong late in the game. .
Baker Mayfield was 19-of-24 for 180 yards and three touchdowns, and Mike Evans was the star with five catches for 62 yards and two touchdowns. Tampa Bay’s run game gained 160 yards, but their inability to kill time down the stretch proved costly.
The Bucs’ defense was a mess all night, with Kirk Cousins completing 42 of 58 passes for a Falcons-record 509 yards and four touchdowns. Logan Hall had two sacks, and Vita Bae and Anthony Nelson also had one, but it wasn’t enough to make up for the issues the rest of the group had from start to finish.
The Bucks (3-2) will take more time off to stay ready and healthy for a Week 6 trip to New Orleans to face the Saints (2-2). Kickoff for the Oct. 13 game is set for 1 p.m.
