ATLANTA — Khadarel Hodge caught a game-winning 45-yard landing with 8:45 left in extra time and Kirk Cousins handed for a franchise-record 509 yards because the Atlanta Falcons beat the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers 36-30 on Thursday evening.
After Younghoe Koo’s 52-yard discipline purpose despatched the sport to extra time as regulation expired, Cousins discovered Hodge, who had zero receptions getting into the competition, for the sport winner.
Cousins accomplished 42 of 58 passes whereas surpassing Matt Ryan’s yardage mark of 503 in 2016. Cousins threw for 4 touchdowns and an interception, because the Falcons (3-2) received their second straight. Drake London caught 12 balls for 154 yards and a rating, whereas Darnell Mooney caught 9 passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
Baker Mayfield threw for 180 yards and three touchdowns, whereas Mike Evans caught 5 passes for 62 yards and two touchdowns for the Buccaneers (3-2).
Trailing 24-17 at halftime, the Falcons minimize into the deficit with Koo’s 48-yard discipline purpose with 6:21 left within the third quarter. Tampa Bay answered on the next drive with Chase McLaughlin’s 32-yard discipline purpose on the 1:17 mark of the third.
On the subsequent drive, the Falcons superior to the Tampa Bay 10-yard line. After Tyler Allgeier was tackled for a lack of 2 on third-and-two, Cousins discovered Mooney for a game-tying 12-yard rating with 13:18 left within the fourth quarter.
McLaughlin’s 53-yard discipline purpose stamped the following Tampa Bay drive, because the Buccaneers reclaimed the lead with 10:23 remaining. After Mooney dropped what would have been a first-down reception, Koo’s 54-yard discipline purpose try was blocked by Tavierre Thomas with 6:29 left.
Jessie Bates III then compelled a Bucky Irving fumble, which Atlanta recovered by itself 25 with 2:50 left. Nevertheless, Lavonte David picked off Cousins on fourth-and-15, earlier than Tampa Bay punted after a 30-second drive.
After a nine-play, 46-yard drive, Koo tied the sport with a 52-yard discipline purpose as time expired.
On the sport’s opening possession, Cousins led the offense on a seven-play, 70-yard scoring drive, culminated with London’s 18-yard receiving landing.
Mayfield then capped a scoring drive with a 2-yard landing cross to Evans, knotting the rating at 7 with 7:36 remaining within the first quarter.
After Koo’s missed 41-yard discipline purpose, Tampa Bay took its first lead on McLaughlin’s 53-yard discipline purpose with 1:22 left within the opening quarter.
After Cousins and Mayfield exchanged passing touchdowns to start the second quarter, Mayfield answered Koo’s 54-yarder with a 4-yard passing landing to Sterling Shepard.
–Jack Batten, Subject Stage Media
