.Michael RothsteinCloseMichael RothsteinESPN Staff WriterMichael Rothstein is a reporter for NFL Country at ESPN. Rothstein covers the Atlanta georgia Falcons. You can easily observe him by means of Twitter @MikeRothstein. Jenna LaineCloseJenna LaineESPN Team WriterJenna Laine deals with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for ESPN. She began covering the Bucs for ESPN in 2016, yet she has dealt with the crew due to the fact that 2009. Adhere To Jenna on Twitter: @JennaLaineESPN. Oct 3, 2024, 11:46 PM ETATLANTA-- The Atlanta Georgia Falcons and Tampa Gulf Buccaneers developed very early that Thursday night's video game would be actually an annoying slugfest along with both crews racking up touchdowns on their 1st properties, so it seemed right the NFC South showdown would certainly be actually chosen through a long TD pass.Kirk Relatives tossed his 4th touchdown of the game, a 45-yard score to KhaDarel Hodge, who had actually entered into the contest after a personal injury to Drake Greater london, to offer the Falcons a 36-30 overtime victory.Younghoe Koo's 52-yard field goal as time expired in regulation pushed overtime, as well as Cousins took care of the rest as he established a franchise business report with 509 passing lawns to remove Atlanta (3-2) in to a tie atop the division.Kirk Cousins notched his fifth consent passing goal in the final moment of regulation/OT in the final five times, which is the absolute most in the NFL. AP Photo/John BazemoreAtlanta FalconsThe difference in between making the playoffs and also not, between winning a division as well as certainly not, depends on activities like this one, and Atlanta georgia possesses actually had its allotment of them.The Falcons have actually routed within the final minute of the fourth one-fourth in each 3 of their wins this season. They are actually the first team in NFL background to have 3 success within their very first five activities of a season through which they tracked in the last min of the 4th quarter.At 3-2, with impressive back-to-back sway New Orleans and also Tampa Bay Gulf, Atlanta possesses a very early lead in the NFC South due to sudden deaths over the Saints and Buccaneers. That might confirm pivotal in December and also January in what appears to be a strict division.QB breakdown: Cousins appeared well-balanced as well as back to being the quarterback the Falcons offered a $180 million arrangement to in the offseason. He completed 42 of 58 masquerade 509 gardens, 4 touchdowns as well as 1 interception.It's the 6th opportunity he has actually tossed for 350 yards and also 3 goals in a prime-time video game, tying Patrick Mahomes as well as Peyton Manning, depending on to ESPN Research.Eye-popping stat: Drake London remains to be dominant when he deals with Tampa fl Bay-- three of his four occupation 100-yard activities have come versus the Buccaneers, consisting of Thursday's 12-catch, 154-yard functionality. He also picked up his 1st touchdown versus Tampa florida Bay in the first quarter.Promising style: Darnell Mooney remains to look additional like the recipient he was in Chicago in 2021 than in his last two seasons along with the Bears. He had his 1st activity with numerous touchdown sees-- in 2021 he possessed an activity along with a hurrying as well as getting touchdown-- and his 9 catches for 105 backyards are each close to career highs for him. He carried out have two reduces, however, including one that can have proved costly.Most unusual functionality: A week after certainly not capturing an elapsed against New Orleans, strict conclusion Kyle Pitts placed in his ideal statistical activity in virtually a year, getting 7 catches for 88 lawns, once again emerging as part of Atlanta georgia's offense. His catches and also backyards are his very most given that Oct. 8, 2023, against Houston, when Pitts possessed 7 catches for 87 lawns on a career-high 11 intendeds.-- Michael RothsteinNext game: at Carolina Panthers (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. 13) Mike Evans notched his 99th touchdown function, tying him along with Don Hutson for 11th-most everlasting. Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesTampa Bay BuccaneersAll summertime long, the Bucs heard the Falcons were actually the group to defeat in the NFC South, despite Tampa fl gaining the branch the past 3 years. That rang true Thursday evening, using it today being a three-team nationality along with the Bucs at New Orleans next.Tampa Gulf has a ton of gamers it needs to have to acquire healthy and balanced, and also it has nine days to do it. The Bucs have to learn how to complete, however, along with the injustice totally put on hold in the second half and also bad dealing with on defense.QB break down: Baker Mayfield completed 13 of 16 passes for 131 lawns, three touchdowns-- 2 to wide receiver Mike Evans-- as well as no interceptions in the first one-half. He was actually blitzed on 7 of 15 dropbacks (47%) in the initial fifty percent, along with all 3 touchdowns coming against the assault. Mayfield's 11 touchdowns via the 1st five video games are actually a profession best.But after the huge initial one-half, Mayfield as well as the Buccaneers hardly did anything in the 2nd fifty percent via the air, amounting to 49 yards.Biggest opening in the strategy: With Tampa bay linebacker SirVocea Dennis on wounded reserve with a shoulder accident, the Falcons consistently made use of K.J. Britt in protection. He surrendered an 18-yard goal to pass receiver Drake London on the position drive.Surprising efficiency: The Bucs' defense relinquishing 550 gardens of overall injustice. It took a progression recently against the Eagles in relations to skipped attacks but struggled against the Falcons in this particular division. The Falcons finished with 235 lawns after the catch, their very most in an activity given that Full week 8 of 2019 versus Seat (236 ).-- Jenna LaineNext video game: at New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. thirteen).