.Michael RothsteinCloseMichael RothsteinESPN Staff WriterMichael Rothstein is actually a reporter for NFL Country at ESPN. Rothstein covers the Atlanta ga Falcons. You may follow him by means of Twitter @MikeRothstein. Jenna LaineCloseJenna LaineESPN Personnel WriterJenna Laine covers the Tampa bay Bay Buccaneers for ESPN. She began covering the Bucs for ESPN in 2016, yet she has covered the crew due to the fact that 2009. Observe Jenna on Twitter: @JennaLaineESPN. Oct 3, 2024, 11:46 PM ETATLANTA-- The Atlanta Georgia Falcons and also Tampa Gulf Buccaneers developed very early that Thursday night's activity would be an annoying slugfest along with both crews racking up goals on their initial ownerships, so it seemed to be right the NFC South face-off would certainly be determined by a lengthy TD pass.Kirk Relatives tossed his fourth goal of the game, a 45-yard rating to KhaDarel Hodge, that had actually entered into the contest after an accident to Drake Greater london, to provide the Falcons a 36-30 overtime victory.Younghoe Koo's 52-yard field goal as opportunity expired in policy required overtime, and also Relatives cared for the rest as he prepared a franchise record with 509 passing gardens to remove Atlanta (3-2) into a tie atop the division.Kirk Relatives scratched his fifth go-ahead passing touchdown in the ultimate minute of regulation/OT in the final five times, which is actually the best in the NFL. AP Photo/John BazemoreAtlanta FalconsThe difference in between creating the playoffs and also not, in between winning a branch as well as certainly not, depends on activities such as this one, as well as Atlanta ga has actually had its own allotment of them.The Falcons have routed within the ultimate minute of the fourth one-fourth in all three of their triumphes this season. They are the first string in NFL past history to have three victories within their first five games of a period through which they routed in the last min of the 4th quarter.At 3-2, along with remarkable back-to-back draw New Orleans as well as Tampa Bay Gulf, Atlanta ga possesses an early top in the NFC South due to tiebreakers over the Saints and Buccaneers. That could verify essential in December and also January in what appears to be a limited division.QB malfunction: Relatives appeared healthy and also back to become the quarterback the Falcons gave a $180 thousand arrangement to in the offseason. He finished 42 of 58 passes for 509 yards, 4 goals and 1 interception.It's the 6th time he has actually thrown for 350 yards and three touchdowns in a prime-time video game, matching Patrick Mahomes and also Peyton Manning, depending on to ESPN Research.Eye-popping stat: Drake Greater london remains to be actually leading when he encounters Tampa florida Bay-- 3 of his 4 job 100-yard games have actually come against the Buccaneers, including Thursday's 12-catch, 154-yard efficiency. He additionally picked up his initial goal versus Tampa florida Bay in the initial quarter.Promising style: Darnell Mooney continues to look even more like the receiver he resided in Chicago in 2021 than in his final pair of times with the Bears. He possessed his first video game along with a number of goal finds-- in 2021 he possessed a game along with a hurrying as well as obtaining touchdown-- as well as his 9 catches for 105 yards are each near career highs for him. He carried out possess two drops, nonetheless, including one that might have shown costly.Most shocking efficiency: A week after certainly not recording a successfully pass versus New Orleans, strict side Kyle Pitts put in his ideal statistical video game in nearly a year, grabbing 7 catches for 88 gardens, once again emerging as aspect of Atlanta georgia's outburst. His catches and gardens are his very most considering that Oct. 8, 2023, against Houston, when Pitts possessed 7 catches for 87 backyards on a career-high 11 targets.-- Michael RothsteinNext game: at Carolina Panthers (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. 13) Mike Evans notched his 99th touchdown reception, tying him along with Don Hutson for 11th-most all-time. Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesTampa Bay BuccaneersAll summertime long, the Bucs listened to the Falcons were the team to defeat in the NFC South, in spite of Tampa gaining the division recent 3 years. That rang true Thursday night, along with it today being a three-team race with the Bucs at New Orleans next.Tampa Gulf has a lot of gamers it requires to receive healthy, as well as it possesses 9 times to carry out it. The Bucs have to learn exactly how to complete, however, along with the affront entirely prevented in the second half and also unsatisfactory addressing on defense.QB break down: Cook Mayfield finished 13 of 16 masquerade 131 lawns, 3 goals-- pair of to pass receiver Mike Evans-- and no interceptions in the very first half. He was blitzed on 7 of 15 dropbacks (47%) in the very first one-half, with all three touchdowns coming versus the strike. Mayfield's 11 goals with the very first 5 video games are an occupation best.But after the huge very first one-half, Mayfield and also the Buccaneers barely performed anything in the second fifty percent with the air, amounting to 49 yards.Biggest hole in the tactical plan: Along with Tampa bay linebacker SirVocea Dennis on injured reservoir with a shoulder trauma, the Falcons often manipulated K.J. Britt in protection. He submitted an 18-yard touchdown to pass receiver Drake Greater london on the position drive.Surprising performance: The Bucs' defense giving up 550 backyards of complete affront. It took a breakthrough last week versus the Eagles in relations to overlooked tackles yet resisted the Falcons in this division. The Falcons completed with 235 backyards after the catch, their very 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).