.Michael RothsteinCloseMichael RothsteinESPN Workers WriterMichael Rothstein is a press reporter for NFL Country at ESPN. Rothstein deals with the Atlanta ga Falcons. You can observe him via Twitter @MikeRothstein. Jenna LaineCloseJenna LaineESPN Team WriterJenna Laine covers the Tampa bay Bay Buccaneers for ESPN. She began dealing with the Bucs for ESPN in 2016, yet she has actually dealt with the group given that 2009. Follow Jenna on Twitter: @JennaLaineESPN. Oct 3, 2024, 11:46 PM ETATLANTA-- The Atlanta Ga Falcons as well as Tampa fl Bay Buccaneers created very early that Thursday evening's activity would be actually an offensive slugfest along with both crews racking up goals on their 1st properties, so it seemed suitable the NFC South showdown will be determined through a lengthy TD pass.Kirk Cousins tossed his 4th goal of the activity, a 45-yard rating to KhaDarel Hodge, that had actually entered into the competition after an accident to Drake Greater london, to give the Falcons a 36-30 overtime victory.Younghoe Koo's 52-yard basket as opportunity ran out in rule obliged overtime, as well as Cousins dealt with the rest as he prepared a franchise report along with 509 passing backyards to remove Atlanta (3-2) into a tie atop the division.Kirk Cousins notched his 5th permission passing goal in the ultimate min of regulation/OT in the last five seasons, which is the best in the NFL. AP Photo/John BazemoreAtlanta FalconsThe variation in between creating the playoffs and not, between winning a branch as well as not, depends on activities similar to this one, and also Atlanta georgia possesses presently possessed its own allotment of them.The Falcons have trailed within the ultimate min of the fourth one-fourth in every 3 of their triumphes this season. They are the first string in NFL history to have three wins within their initial five games of a season through which they trailed in the last moment of the fourth quarter.At 3-2, with remarkable next get New Orleans and Tampa Bay, Atlanta possesses an early top in the NFC South because of tiebreakers over the Saints as well as Buccaneers. That could show crucial in December and also January in what appears to be a strict division.QB malfunction: Relatives looked healthy and back to being the quarterback the Falcons provided a $180 million agreement to in the offseason. He finished 42 of 58 passes for 509 backyards, 4 goals and also 1 interception.It's the 6th time he has actually tossed for 350 lawns and also 3 touchdowns in a prime-time game, matching Patrick Mahomes as well as Peyton Manning, according to ESPN Research.Eye-popping stat: Drake London continues to be actually leading when he deals with Tampa Gulf-- 3 of his four profession 100-yard games have come against the Buccaneers, consisting of Thursday's 12-catch, 154-yard efficiency. He likewise grabbed his 1st goal against Tampa Bay in the initial quarter.Promising pattern: Darnell Mooney remains to look additional like the recipient he was in Chicago in 2021 than in his final pair of periods with the Bears. He had his 1st game along with a number of goal sees-- in 2021 he possessed an activity with a hurrying and receiving goal-- and his 9 catches for 105 backyards are both near occupation highs for him. He carried out have 2 reduces, having said that, consisting of one that can possess verified costly.Most surprising performance: A full week after certainly not recording a successfully pass against New Orleans, tight conclusion Kyle Pitts invested his greatest statistical video game in just about a year, nabbing 7 catches for 88 backyards, once more emerging as portion of Atlanta georgia's offense. His catches as well as backyards are his very most considering that Oct. 8, 2023, against Houston, when Pitts had 7 catches for 87 gardens on a career-high 11 targets.-- Michael RothsteinNext video game: at Carolina Panthers (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. 13) Mike Evans marked his 99th touchdown event, matching him with Don Hutson for 11th-most enduring. Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesTampa Bay BuccaneersAll summer long, the Bucs heard the Falcons were actually the team to defeat in the NFC South, even with Tampa florida winning the division recent 3 years. That proved out Thursday evening, along with it today being actually a three-team race with the Bucs at New Orleans next.Tampa Bay possesses a ton of players it needs to get well-balanced, and also it possesses 9 times to perform it. The Bucs must discover just how to finish, though, with the affront entirely prevented in the second fifty percent and unsatisfactory handling on defense.QB failure: Cook Mayfield completed 13 of 16 passes for 131 yards, three goals-- 2 to wide receiver Mike Evans-- and no interceptions in the initial one-half. He was blitzed on 7 of 15 dropbacks (47%) in the first half, with all three touchdowns coming versus the assault. Mayfield's 11 goals via the very first five activities are actually an occupation best.But after the huge very first half, Mayfield and the Buccaneers hardly carried out just about anything in the 2nd fifty percent through the air, amounting to 49 yards.Biggest gap in the strategy: With Tampa bay linebacker SirVocea Dennis on wounded reserve with a shoulder injury, the Falcons regularly exploited K.J. Britt in coverage. He surrendered an 18-yard goal to pass receiver Drake Greater london on the position drive.Surprising functionality: The Bucs' protection relinquishing 550 yards of complete injustice. It took an advance recently versus the Eagles in relations to missed confronts but struggled against the Falcons within this division. The Falcons completed with 235 lawns after the catch, their most in an activity because Full week 8 of 2019 versus Seat (236 ).-- Jenna LaineNext video game: at New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. 13).