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Kirk Cousins’ heroics lead Falcons over Buccaneers in epic comeback
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- Kirk Cousins’ heroics lead Falcons over Buccaneers in epic comeback
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Kirk Cousins ' tenure with the Atlanta Falcons will be regarded as a big disappointment when fans dive into the history books ages from now, but the 37-year-old quarterback can still channel his inner Captain Kirk under the right conditions. He and his teammates stunned the home crowd in Raymond James Stadium on Thursday night, handing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a devastating 29-28 loss .
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Cousins made a couple of clutch throws on the final drive, overcoming what were seemingly insurmountable odds, and positioned the Falcons for a thrilling comeback win over their divisional rival. Zane Gonzalez capped off the heroic fourth quarter with a 43-yard field goal as time expired.
Trailing 28-14 with 13:34 remaining in the game, Atlanta refused to stay down and clawed its way back into this NFC South matchup. The Bucs did their part to keep the Birds alive — Baker Mayfield tossed an interception near midfield with 8:28 left on the clock — but the Falcons displayed amazing tenacity on the road. They somehow survived a number of mistakes in the second half and prevailed in the kind of game that they typically lose.
Kirk Cousins, Falcons flip the script on Thursday Night Football
David Sills V dropped a deep pass that could have led to a touchdown in the third quarter, Atlanta fumbled the ball on its own 15-yard line on the next drive and the team misfired on what seemed like a must-have two-point conversion late in the fourth. If all that adversity was not enough, the Falcons found themselves facing third-and-28 on what improbably morphed into the game-winning drive.
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Cousins connected with tight end Kyle Pitts , who enjoyed a historic three-touchdown, 166-yard night versus the Bucs, to give the squad a highly manageable fourth down. Sills obtained sweet redemption with the game on the line, snagging a 21-yard reception along the sidelines to inch Atlanta closer to field goal range. A defensive offside penalty and six-yard catch by Darnell Mooney put the fate of both teams on Gonzalez's leg.
He delivered a big blow to the Buccaneers' playoff hopes, enabling the Carolina Panthers to potentially assume control of the division this Sunday. But Kirk Cousins is rightfully the man of the hour. The four-time Pro Bowl selection was 30-of-44 passing for 373 yards and three touchdowns, posting what could very well be the last magnificent game of his NFL career.
The Falcons have much to address heading into the offseason after another failed campaign, but they can take some pride in this resilient prime-time performance. If nothing else, fans can at least revel in Tampa 's potential combustion. Cousins and Atlanta (5-9) will have another favorable opportunity to get in the win column when they visit the Arizona Cardinals (3-10) in Week 16.
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