.Michael RothsteinCloseMichael RothsteinESPN Team WriterMichael Rothstein is actually a press reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN. Rothstein covers the Atlanta Falcons. You may follow him through Twitter @MikeRothstein. Jenna LaineCloseJenna LaineESPN Workers WriterJenna Laine deals with the Tampa Gulf Buccaneers for ESPN. She began covering the Bucs for ESPN in 2016, but she has actually covered the team due to the fact that 2009. Comply With Jenna on Twitter: @JennaLaineESPN. Oct 3, 2024, 11:46 PM ETATLANTA-- The Atlanta Falcons as well as Tampa florida Gulf Buccaneers set up very early that Thursday night's activity will be an offensive slugfest with both groups racking up goals on their 1st things, so it seemed to be fitting the NFC South showdown will be actually chosen through a long TD pass.Kirk Cousins threw his fourth goal of the game, a 45-yard rating to KhaDarel Hodge, who had actually entered the contest after an injury to Drake Greater london, to offer the Falcons a 36-30 overtime victory.Younghoe Koo's 52-yard field goal as opportunity ended in policy required overtime, and Cousins handled the rest as he set a franchise record along with 509 passing yards to remove Atlanta georgia (3-2) into a tie atop the division.Kirk Relatives marked his fifth okay passing touchdown in the ultimate minute of regulation/OT in the last five periods, which is the best in the NFL. AP Photo/John BazemoreAtlanta FalconsThe difference between making the playoffs as well as not, between gaining a division and certainly not, depends on games like this one, and Atlanta georgia has already had its portion of them.The Falcons have routed within the ultimate min of the fourth quarter in each three of their wins this period. They are actually the first string in NFL background to possess 3 success within their 1st 5 activities of a period through which they routed in the last moment of the fourth quarter.At 3-2, along with significant back-to-back wins over New Orleans as well as Tampa Bay, Atlanta ga has an early top in the NFC South thanks to tiebreakers over the Saints and Buccaneers. That can show crucial in December and January in what seems a tight division.QB malfunction: Relatives looked healthy as well as back to become the quarterback the Falcons gave a $180 thousand deal to in the offseason. He accomplished 42 of 58 masquerade 509 gardens, 4 goals and 1 interception.It's the sixth time he has actually thrown for 350 yards and three touchdowns in a prime-time activity, tying Patrick Mahomes as well as Peyton Manning, according to ESPN Research.Eye-popping stat: Drake London continues to be prevalent when he encounters Tampa fl Gulf-- three of his four job 100-yard games have actually come against the Buccaneers, featuring Thursday's 12-catch, 154-yard performance. He additionally grabbed his very first goal against Tampa bay Gulf in the 1st quarter.Promising trend: Darnell Mooney remains to appear additional like the recipient he resided in Chicago in 2021 than in his last 2 seasons along with the Bears. He had his very first video game along with various goal finds-- in 2021 he had a video game along with a hurrying and also obtaining goal-- and his 9 catches for 105 gardens are each near to occupation highs for him. He carried out have 2 reduces, nevertheless, featuring one that can possess shown costly.Most surprising performance: A week after not recording an elapsed against New Orleans, tight side Kyle Pitts invested his finest analytical video game in just about a year, snatching 7 catches for 88 gardens, once more becoming portion of Atlanta georgia's outburst. His catches and backyards are his very most because Oct. 8, 2023, versus Houston, when Pitts possessed 7 catches for 87 backyards on a career-high 11 aim ats.-- Michael RothsteinNext game: at Carolina Panthers (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. thirteen) Mike Evans marked his 99th goal function, tying him with Don Hutson for 11th-most all-time. Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesTampa Bay BuccaneersAll summertime long, the Bucs listened to the Falcons were actually the group to beat in the NFC South, regardless of Tampa succeeding the division the past three years. That proved out Thursday night, from it today being actually a three-team ethnicity along with the Bucs at New Orleans next.Tampa Bay has a ton of players it needs to have to obtain healthy and balanced, as well as it possesses nine times to carry out it. The Bucs need to learn how to finish, though, with the affront fully prevented in the 2nd half and bad tackling on defense.QB failure: Cook Mayfield finished thirteen of 16 passes for 131 lawns, 3 touchdowns-- pair of to pass receiver Mike Evans-- as well as no interceptions in the 1st fifty percent. He was actually blitzed on 7 of 15 dropbacks (47%) in the 1st half, along with all 3 touchdowns arriving versus the strike. Mayfield's 11 touchdowns through the initial five games are actually a profession best.But after the significant first one-half, Mayfield and the Buccaneers barely performed anything in the 2nd one-half with the sky, totting 49 yards.Biggest hole in the strategic plan: Along with Tampa fl linebacker SirVocea Dennis on damaged reservoir with a shoulder trauma, the Falcons often exploited K.J. Britt in insurance coverage. He gave up an 18-yard touchdown to wide receiver Drake London on the opening drive.Surprising performance: The Bucs' protection surrendering 550 backyards of total affront. It took a step forward last week against the Eagles in relations to missed out on confronts however resisted the Falcons in this department. The Falcons completed with 235 gardens after the catch, their most in a video game due to the fact that Week 8 of 2019 versus Seattle (236 ).-- Jenna LaineNext activity: at New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. 13).