Falcons beat Buccaneers 29-28 on last-second FG
Zane Gonzalez kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired to give the Atlanta Falcons a 29-28 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday, ending Tampa Bay’s tie for the NFC South lead.
Already eliminated from playoff contention, the Falcons embraced their role as spoilers, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns, all caught by tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. Bijan Robinson added a rushing touchdown, and Gonzalez sealed the win with a 43-yard kick.
Trailing 28-14 with 13:34 remaining, Atlanta scored twice through Robinson and Pitts but failed on both two-point attempts. After the Buccaneers, leading 28-26, failed to score on their final drive, the Falcons regained possession. Despite a sack and a holding penalty, Gonzalez’s kick secured the win.
“If you’re a pro football player, you’re a fighter,” Cousins said. “There’s a lot for us to play for in terms of just us men and wanting to be excellent at what we do. I think that showed tonight.”
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 277 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. The Buccaneers, who began the season 6-2 and looked poised to dominate the division, have now lost five of their last six games, including a defeat by the division-rival New Orleans Saints last week.
Carolina Panthers can tighten their grip on the NFC South when they visit the Saints on Sunday. The Buccaneers and Panthers face each other twice in the final three weeks of the regular season.
“This one’s going to haunt me,” Mayfield admitted, referring to a fourth-quarter interception. “This falls on my shoulders. You can’t turn the ball over, can’t have that interception… we have to be better on offense, and it comes down to how I play.”
Similar news
