.Michael RothsteinCloseMichael RothsteinESPN Personnel WriterMichael Rothstein is a reporter for NFL Country at ESPN. Rothstein deals with the Atlanta ga Falcons. You can easily follow him via Twitter @MikeRothstein. Jenna LaineCloseJenna LaineESPN Team WriterJenna Laine deals with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for ESPN. She began dealing with the Bucs for ESPN in 2016, however she has dealt with the group since 2009. Adhere To Jenna on Twitter: @JennaLaineESPN. Oct 3, 2024, 11:46 PM ETATLANTA-- The Atlanta Falcons and also Tampa bay Bay Buccaneers developed very early that Thursday evening's video game would be actually an objectionable slugfest with both groups scoring goals on their initial belongings, so it seemed right the NFC South face-off would certainly be actually chosen through a long TD pass.Kirk Cousins tossed his fourth touchdown of the video game, a 45-yard rating to KhaDarel Hodge, that had gotten into the competition after a personal injury to Drake London, to provide the Falcons a 36-30 overtime victory.Younghoe Koo's 52-yard field goal as opportunity ended in law obliged overtime, as well as Relatives cared for the rest as he established a franchise business document along with 509 passing backyards to lift Atlanta ga (3-2) in to a dead heat atop the division.Kirk Cousins marked his 5th okay passing goal in the last moment of regulation/OT in the last five times, which is actually the most in the NFL. AP Photo/John BazemoreAtlanta FalconsThe variation between making the playoffs as well as certainly not, in between winning a department and certainly not, hinges on games similar to this one, and Atlanta possesses actually possessed its own portion of them.The Falcons have actually routed within the last minute of the fourth one-fourth with all 3 of their victories this time. They are the first team in NFL record to have three wins within their 1st 5 video games of a season in which they trailed in the ultimate minute of the 4th quarter.At 3-2, with dramatic next get New Orleans and also Tampa Fl Bay, Atlanta ga possesses an early top in the NFC South because of sudden deaths over the Saints and also Buccaneers. That might prove pivotal in December and also January in what looks a limited division.QB breakdown: Relatives looked healthy and balanced as well as back to become the quarterback the Falcons offered a $180 thousand agreement to in the offseason. He completed 42 of 58 passes for 509 gardens, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception.It's the sixth opportunity he has actually tossed for 350 lawns and three touchdowns in a prime-time video game, matching Patrick Mahomes and Peyton Manning, according to ESPN Research.Eye-popping stat: Drake Greater london continues to be actually prevalent when he faces Tampa florida Gulf-- three of his four profession 100-yard video games have actually come versus the Buccaneers, consisting of Thursday's 12-catch, 154-yard performance. He also picked up his initial goal against Tampa fl Gulf in the initial quarter.Promising trend: Darnell Mooney continues to look even more like the recipient he remained in Chicago in 2021 than in his ultimate two seasons along with the Bears. He possessed his first video game with various touchdown finds-- in 2021 he had a video game with a hurrying as well as receiving touchdown-- as well as his 9 catches for 105 gardens are actually each near job highs for him. He did have pair of drops, nonetheless, consisting of one that might possess shown costly.Most shocking performance: A week after not recording an elapsed against New Orleans, tight side Kyle Pitts put in his best analytical video game in virtually a year, nabbing 7 catches for 88 lawns, once again becoming aspect of Atlanta georgia's offense. His catches and gardens are his very most since Oct. 8, 2023, against Houston, when Pitts had 7 catches for 87 yards on a career-high 11 aim ats.-- Michael RothsteinNext game: at Carolina Panthers (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. 13) Mike Evans scratched his 99th goal celebration, tying him with Don Hutson for 11th-most enduring. Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesTampa Bay BuccaneersAll summer months long, the Bucs heard the Falcons were the group to trump in the NFC South, in spite of Tampa bay winning the department the past 3 years. That rang true Thursday night, with it right now being a three-team nationality with the Bucs at New Orleans next.Tampa Bay possesses a considerable amount of players it requires to receive well-balanced, and it possesses nine times to perform it. The Bucs have to discover just how to complete, however, along with the offense entirely stymied in the second half as well as inadequate addressing on defense.QB breakdown: Cook Mayfield accomplished thirteen of 16 masquerade 131 lawns, 3 goals-- pair of to wide receiver Mike Evans-- and no interceptions in the very first fifty percent. He was blitzed on 7 of 15 dropbacks (47%) in the very first half, with all three touchdowns coming versus the assault. Mayfield's 11 goals through the first five video games are actually a job best.But after the significant initial fifty percent, Mayfield and also the Buccaneers barely performed anything in the 2nd half via the air, totting 49 yards.Biggest opening in the strategic plan: With Tampa linebacker SirVocea Dennis on hurt reserve with a shoulder personal injury, the Falcons routinely manipulated K.J. Britt in protection. He relinquished an 18-yard touchdown to pass receiver Drake London on the position drive.Surprising performance: The Bucs' defense relinquishing 550 gardens of overall injustice. It took a breakthrough recently versus the Eagles in relations to skipped confronts however struggled against the Falcons in this particular division. The Falcons do with 235 yards after the catch, their most in an activity because Full week 8 of 2019 versus Seattle (236 ).-- Jenna LaineNext activity: at New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. thirteen).