October 3, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) runs against Atlanta Falcons linebacker Caden Ellis (55) during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Janine-Imagen Images ATLANTA — Khadarell Hodge caught a 45-yard game-winning touchdown with 8:45 remaining in overtime and Kirk Cousins passed for a franchise-record 509 yards as the Atlanta Falcons beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 36-30 on Thursday night. Defeated by.
Youngho Koo’s 52-yard field goal sent the game into overtime as regulation ended, with Cousins finding Hodge for the game-winner, who had zero receptions entering the contest.
Cousins completed 42 of 58 passes, surpassing Matt Ryan’s yardage mark of 503 in 2016. Cousins threw four touchdowns and one interception as the Falcons (3-2) won their second straight. Drake London caught 12 balls for 154 yards and a score, while Darnell Mooney caught nine passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
Baker Mayfield threw for 180 yards and three touchdowns, while Mike Evans caught five passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns for the Buccaneers (3-2).
Trailing 24–17 at halftime, the Falcons cut the deficit with Koo’s 48-yard field goal with 6:21 left in the third quarter. Tampa Bay answered with Chase McLaughlin’s 32-yard field goal at the 1:17 mark of the third on the following drive.
On the next drive, the Falcons advanced to the Tampa Bay 10-yard line. After a tackle for loss on third-and-2 by Tyler Allger, Cousins found Mooney for a game-tying 12-yard score with 13:18 remaining in the fourth quarter.
McLaughlin’s 53-yard field goal sealed the ensuing Tampa Bay drive, as the Buccaneers took the lead with 10:23 remaining. After Mooney dropped a first-down reception, Koo’s 54-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Tavierre Thomas with 6:29 remaining.
Jesse Bates III then forced a Bucky Irving fumble, which Atlanta recovered at its own 25 with 2:50 remaining. However, Lavonte David sacked Cousins on fourth-and-15 before Tampa Bay got pumped after a 30-second drive.
After a nine-play, 46-yard drive, Koo tied the game with a 52-yard field goal as time expired.
On the opening possession of the game, Cousins led the attack on a seven-play, 70-yard scoring drive that culminated with London’s 18-yard touchdown run.
Mayfield then capped the scoring drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Evans, tying the score at 7 with 7:36 remaining in the first quarter.
After Koo’s missed 41-yard field goal, Tampa Bay took its first lead on McLaughlin’s 53-yard field goal with 1:22 remaining in the opening quarter.
After Cousins and Mayfield exchanged passing touchdowns to start the second quarter, Mayfield responded to Kuo’s 54-yarder to Sterling Shepard with a 4-yard passing touchdown.
–Jack Batten, Field Level Media