Atlanta is still striving to move past its old reputation.
Kirk Cousins passed for 276 yards and four touchdowns as the Falcons held off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-26, taking control of the NFC South race on Sunday.
“It’s always great to get away with a division win,” said coach Raheem Morris, who is in his first season with Atlanta. “We talk about outrunning the South, and the guys have absolutely bought into what we want to do.”
Kyle Pitts scored on receptions of 36 and 49 yards, while Cousins also threw touchdown passes of 30 yards to Darnell Mooney and 6 yards to Bijan Robinson. This victory gave the Falcons (5-3) a two-game sweep over the three-time defending division champion Bucs (4-4).
The Falcons improved to 4-0 within the NFC South and, with the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over second-place Tampa Bay, effectively hold a two-game lead in the division standings.
The Bucs also lost 36-30 in overtime at Atlanta on October 3, when Cousins threw for a career-high 509 yards with four touchdowns.
“This is the first time (since) I’ve been here with us having a division lead this late into the season,” said Pitts, a fourth-year pro who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft. “So, it’s pretty cool for us just to be a new team with a new vision. We’re just taking it week by week.”
Baker Mayfield passed for 330 yards and three touchdowns but also threw two costly interceptions for Tampa Bay. The Bucs had a chance to possibly win after driving to the Atlanta 33 in the final minute. However, Mayfield’s Hail Mary throw from the 38 was caught by Rakim Jarrett behind the end zone as time ran out.
“It just looked like a mosh pit back there. … Kind of one of those things where you get your hopes up, but then you realize it didn’t work out,” Mayfield said. “But for our guys to fight, to get into that situation, you really can’t ask for much else.”
Mayfield, playing with injured receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, threw two touchdown passes to tight end Cade Otton, including a 4-yarder that cut down a 31-17 deficit to just five points with under seven minutes left.
The Falcons then took possession and, with a 13-yard scramble by Cousins and a fourth-down conversion, kept the ball away from Tampa Bay’s offense until Younghoe Koo missed a 46-yard field goal with 1:01 remaining.
“We didn’t get too caught up in the division with how much football there is left to play,” Cousins said.
“We understand the importance of winning the South and facing a divisional opponent, but didn’t talk about scenarios. … Right now, we’re just trying to focus on playing our best football and seeing where that leads.”
With Godwin out for the season and Evans expected to miss at least three games, the Bucs are counting on a refreshed rushing attack and a mostly young group of playmakers that includes Otton, Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, Rachaad White, and Bucky Irving to help Mayfield keep the Bucs in the race for a fourth straight division title.
White scored on an 18-yard reception in the first half but also lost an early fumble that set up Cousins’ first touchdown pass to Pitts.
Mayfield, who leads the NFL with 21 touchdown passes, has thrown seven interceptions in the last three games after having only two through Week 5.
