TAMPA, Fla. – Atlanta is still working on not being the same old Falcons.
Kirk Cousins threw for 276 yards and four touchdowns, and the first-place Falcons held off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-26 to take control of the NFC South race on Sunday.
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“It's always great to get away with a division win,” coach Raheem Morris, who's in his first season as Atlanta's coach, said. “We talk about outrunning the South, and the guys have absolutely bought into what we want to do.”
Kyle Pitts scored on receptions of 36 and 49 yards and Cousins also tossed TD passes of 30 yards to Darnell Mooney and 6 yards to Bijan Robinson to give the Falcons (5-3) a two-game sweep of the season series with the three-time defending division champion Bucs (4-4).
The Falcons improved to 4-0 within the NFC South and with the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage over second-place Tampa Bay essentially hold a two-game lead in the division standings. The Bucs also lost 36-30 in overtime at Atlanta on Oct. 3, when Cousins threw for a career-high 509 yards with four TDs.
“This is the first time (since) I've been here with us having (a division lead this late into the season),” said Pitts, a fourth-year pro who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft. “So, it's pretty cool for us just to be a new team with a new vision. We're just taking it week by week.”
Baker Mayfield threw for 330 yards and three TDs, but also tossed a pair of costly interceptions for Tampa Bay. The Bucs had a chance to possibly win it after driving to the Atlanta 33 in the final minute, however Mayfield's Hail Mary throw from the 38 was caught by Rakim Jarrett behind the end zone as time expired.
“It just looked like a mosh pit back there. ... Kind of one of those things (where) you get your hopes up, but then you realize it didn't work out," Mayfield said. “But for our guys to fight, to get into that situation, you really can't ask for much else.”
Mayfield, playing with injured receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, tossed a pair of TD passes to tight end Cade Otton, including a 4-yarder that trimmed what was once a 31-17 deficit to five points with just under seven minutes remaining.
The Falcons took the ball and, with help from an 13-yard scramble by Cousins and a fourth-down conversion, kept it from Tampa Bay's offense until Younghoe Koo missed a 46-yield field goal with 1:01 left.
“We didn't get too caught up in the division with how much football there is left to play,” Cousins said. “We understand the importance of winning the South and facing a divisional opponent, but didn't talk about scenarios. ... Right now, we're just trying to focus on playing our best football and seeing where that leads.”
With Godwin out for the season and Evans expected to be sidelined at least three games, the Bucs are hoping a rejuvenated rushing attack and a mostly young group of playmakers that includes Otton, Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, Rachaad White and Bucky Irving will help Mayfield keep the Bucs in contention for a fourth consecutive division title.
White scored on an 18-yard reception in the first half, but also lost an early fumble to set up Cousins' first TD pass to Pitts. Mayfield, who leads the NFL with 21 TD passes, has thrown seven picks in the past three games after only having two through Week 5.
The Bucs also hurt themselves with a failed fake punt play in the third quarter that positioned the Falcons to go up 31-17 on Robinson's TD reception.
Jessie Bates III and A.J. Terrell Jr. had interceptions for the Falcons, who have won four of five following a 1-2 start.
“There was a little bit more urgency this week with it being a divisional opponent. ... The mindset was to come in here and take it from them. I thought we did that as a team," Bates said.
“You win the division, you get in the playoffs. ... This is just one step closer to it,” Bates added. "That doesn’t mean the season is done or the Saints are going to lay down or the Panthers are going to lay down, but we have to take two more to be undefeated in the division and see what happens after that.”
Throwbacks
Tampa Bay wore uniforms from the team's Creamsicle jersey era and honored the 1979 Bucs, who won the franchise's first division title.
Injuries
Falcons: Played without safety Justin Simmons (hamstring) and ILB Troy Andersen (knee), who were inactive. ... DL Ruke Orhorhoro (ankle) left in the third quarter and did not return. RG Chris Lindstrom (knee) missed time in the fourth quarter.
Buccaneers: WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring) departed in the second quarter, but returned in the second half. ... LB Lavonte David (ankle) finished the game after leaving briefly in the fourth quarter.
Up next
Falcons: Host Dallas next Sunday.
Buccaneers: at Kansas City next Monday night.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl