Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL | December 11, 2025 | NFL Week 15 | Final: Atlanta 29, Tampa Bay 28
Atlanta walked in at 5-9, already out of playoff contention. Tampa Bay was 7-7 with the NFC South still within reach. By the time Zane Gonzalez’s 43-yard field goal split the uprights as time expired, the Buccaneers had blown a 14-point fourth-quarter lead, gotten outgained by 138 yards, and handed Kirk Cousins his third straight win over them. Atlanta did all of this while committing 19 penalties for 125 yards — a franchise record.
Below is the complete breakdown of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Atlanta Falcons player stats, box score, and every key moment from Thursday night.
Table of Contents
Final Score & Scoring Summary
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons (5-9) | 0 | 14 | 0 | 15 | 29 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7) | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 28 |
| Time | Score ATL–TB | Scoring Play |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 – 1:38 | 0 – 7 | Sean Tucker 1-yd rush (McLaughlin kick) — 11 plays, 83 yds |
| Q2 – 12:11 | 7 – 7 | Kyle Pitts 8-yd pass from Cousins (Gonzalez kick) — 9 plays, 65 yds |
| Q2 – 2:04 | 7 – 10 | Chase McLaughlin 49-yd FG — 9 plays, 49 yds |
| Q2 – 0:38 | 14 – 10 | Kyle Pitts 17-yd pass from Cousins (Gonzalez kick) — 4 plays, 65 yds |
| Q2 – 0:00 | 14 – 13 | Chase McLaughlin 52-yd FG — 5 plays, 40 yds |
| Q3 – 6:22 | 14 – 20 | Devin Culp 6-yd pass from Mayfield (McLaughlin kick) — 9 plays, 90 yds |
| Q4 – 13:34 | 14 – 28 | Chris Godwin 3-yd pass from Mayfield (2-pt conv: Mayfield to Godwin) — 4 plays, 25 yds |
| Q4 – 9:37 | 20 – 28 | Bijan Robinson 6-yd rush (2-pt conv failed) — 8 plays, 65 yds |
| Q4 – 3:34 | 26 – 28 | Kyle Pitts 7-yd pass from Cousins (2-pt conv failed) — 10 plays, 67 yds |
| Q4 – 0:00 | 29 – 28 | Zane Gonzalez 43-yd FG — 9 plays, 45 yds |
Quarterback Stats: Cousins vs. Mayfield
Cousins is now 3-0 against Tampa Bay since joining Atlanta, with 1,158 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and one interception across those three games. Thursday fit the pattern perfectly.
| Stat | Kirk Cousins (ATL) | Baker Mayfield (TB) |
|---|---|---|
| Completions / Attempts | 30 / 44 | 19 / 34 |
| Passing Yards | 373 | 277 |
| Touchdowns | 3 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 1 |
| Passer Rating | 116.9 | 90.0 |
| QBR | 64.5 | 51.7 |
| Avg. Depth of Target | 8.7 yds | 12.5 yds |
| Adj. Completion % (PFF) | 75.6% | 71.4% |
| Avg. Time to Throw | 2.70s | 2.95s |
| Sacks / Yards Lost | 1 / -8 | 5 / -27 |
| EPA Per Passing Play (PFF) | +0.29 (76th pct.) | -0.02 (39th pct.) |
Cousins kept his average depth of target below nine yards and put the ball in his playmakers’ hands with space to operate. Atlanta generated 204 yards after the catch. Tampa Bay generated 57. That gap explains more about how the final drive became possible than any single play does.
On the final drive, facing third-and-28 with no timeouts and 1:49 remaining, Cousins hit Pitts for 14 yards. Then, on fourth-and-14, found David Sills V for 20 yards to put Gonzalez in range.
Mayfield had his full wide receiver group available for the first time all season after Mike Evans (broken clavicle, Oct. 20) and Jalen McMillan (three broken vertebrae in his neck, preseason) were both activated from IR. He used them effectively until the fourth quarter, when his interception handed Atlanta the momentum that finished the game.
“This one is gonna haunt me. It falls on my shoulders,” Mayfield said afterward.
Kyle Pitts Puts Up a Historic Performance
Eleven catches. 166 yards. Three touchdowns on 12 targets.
Pitts became the first tight end since Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe in 1996 to record 150+ receiving yards and three touchdowns in a single game. His scores came from 8, 17, and 7 yards out — the first two were wide-open breakdowns by Tampa Bay’s coverage, the third pulled Atlanta within two with 3:34 left.
Full Receiving Stats
| Player | Team | REC | TGT | YDS | TD | AVG | YAC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Pitts | ATL | 11 | 12 | 166 | 3 | 15.1 | 79 |
| Bijan Robinson | ATL | 8 | 11 | 82 | 0 | 10.3 | 93 |
| David Sills V | ATL | 6 | 10 | 78 | 0 | 13.0 | 17 |
| Darnell Mooney | ATL | 3 | 6 | 35 | 0 | 11.7 | 15 |
| Charlie Woerner | ATL | 2 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 6.0 | 0 |
| Tyler Allgeier | ATL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Mike Evans | TB | 6 | 12 | 132 | 0 | 22.0 | 8 |
| Emeka Egbuka | TB | 4 | 7 | 64 | 0 | 16.0 | 12 |
| Jalen McMillan | TB | 2 | 2 | 38 | 0 | 19.0 | 1 |
| Chris Godwin | TB | 4 | 5 | 20 | 1 | 5.0 | 11 |
| Bucky Irving | TB | 1 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 11.0 | 15 |
| Devin Culp | TB | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6.0 | 0 |
| Rachaad White | TB | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6.0 | 10 |
| Tez Johnson | TB | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
Evans was the most dangerous receiver on the field for stretches of the game. His 132-yard return performance in his first game back drew multiple penalties from Atlanta’s corners and moved chains on third downs that kept Tampa Bay drives alive. Devin Culp’s 6-yard touchdown reception was the first scoring play of his NFL career.
Full Rushing Stats
| Player | Team | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijan Robinson | ATL | 19 | 93 | 4.9 | 1 | 14 |
| Tyler Allgeier | ATL | 2 | 18 | 9.0 | 0 | 15 |
| ATL Team | 21 | 111 | 5.3 | 1 | 15 | |
| Bucky Irving | TB | 16 | 60 | 3.8 | 0 | 16 |
| Rachaad White | TB | 1 | 20 | 20.0 | 0 | 20 |
| Sean Tucker | TB | 4 | 7 | 1.8 | 1 | 6 |
| Baker Mayfield | TB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 |
| TB Team | 22 | 88 | 4.0 | 1 | 20 |
Robinson forced five missed tackles on run plays and added 93 receiving yards to his 93 rushing yards, giving him 175 combined yards on the night. Atlanta posted a +0.20 EPA per rushing play (94th percentile per PFF). Tampa Bay was at -0.04.
Defense: Pass Rush, Coverage, and the Play That Changed the Game
Dee Alford’s fourth-quarter interception is where this game shifted. With Tampa Bay leading 28-20, Mayfield forced a throw and Alford stepped in front of it, giving Atlanta the ball back with enough time to score twice.
Atlanta Pass Rush
| Player | Pos | Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Pearce Jr. | ED | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| Brandon Dorlus | DI | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Jalon Walker | ED | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| David Onyemata | DI | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Leonard Floyd | ED | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Divine Deablo | LB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| LaCale London | DI | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ruke Orhorhoro | DI | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Tampa Bay Pass Rush
| Player | Pos | Sacks | Hits | Hurries | Total Pressures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vita Vea | DI | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Yaya Diaby | ED | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Chris Braswell | ED | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Haason Reddick | ED | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Anthony Nelson | ED | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Logan Hall | DI | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Reddick’s late sack forced a fumble on Atlanta’s final drive. Officials ruled simultaneous possession, which under NFL rules goes to the offense. Atlanta kept the ball and kicked the winning field goal three plays later.
Atlanta Coverage
| Player | Pos | TGT | REC ALL | YDS ALL | INT | PBU | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobee Bryant | CB | 10 | 8 | 140 | 0 | 0 | 118.8 |
| A.J. Terrell | CB | 4 | 3 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 152.1 |
| Dee Alford | CB | 8 | 4 | 45 | 1 | 1 | 27.6 |
| Divine Deablo | LB | 2 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 83.3 |
| Jessie Bates III | S | 1 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 112.5 |
Tampa Bay Coverage
| Player | Pos | TGT | REC ALL | YDS ALL | INT | PBU | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lavonte David | LB | 11 | 7 | 85 | 0 | 1 | 126.9 |
| Christian Izien | S | 5 | 4 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 152.9 |
| Kindle Vildor | CB | 5 | 4 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 113.3 |
| Jamel Dean | CB | 7 | 4 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 71.1 |
| Jacob Parrish | CB | 4 | 3 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 108.3 |
| Antoine Winfield Jr. | S | 2 | 2 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 118.8 |
Atlanta Run Defense
| Player | Pos | Tackles | Assists | Stops | TFL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jessie Bates III | S | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Kaden Elliss | LB | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Divine Deablo | LB | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| David Onyemata | DI | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cobee Bryant | CB | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Tampa Bay Run Defense
| Player | Pos | Tackles | Assists | Stops | TFL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antoine Winfield Jr. | S | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Yaya Diaby | ED | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Lavonte David | LB | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Logan Hall | DI | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Deion Jones | LB | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Full Defensive Tackles
| Player | Team | TOT | SOLO | SACKS | TFL | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antoine Winfield Jr. | TB | 13 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Xavier Watts | ATL | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deion Jones | TB | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Izien | TB | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jessie Bates III | ATL | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kaden Elliss | ATL | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Lavonte David | TB | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Logan Hall | TB | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamel Dean | TB | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cobee Bryant | ATL | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| James Pearce Jr. | ATL | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| David Onyemata | ATL | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Dee Alford | ATL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking and Special Teams
| Kicker | Team | FG | Long | XP | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zane Gonzalez | ATL | 1/1 | 43 yds | 2/2 | 5 |
| Chase McLaughlin | TB | 2/2 | 52 yds | 2/2 | 8 |
| Punter | Team | Punts | Yards | Avg | TB | In 20 | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradley Pinion | ATL | 4 | 170 | 42.5 | 2 | 2 | 53 |
| Riley Dixon | TB | 4 | 165 | 41.3 | 0 | 2 | 45 |
| Returner | Team | Type | NO | YDS | AVG | LONG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deven Thompkins | ATL | Punt | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 10 |
| Sean Tucker | TB | Kick | 2 | 42 | 21.0 | 27 |
| Kameron Johnson | TB | Kick | 1 | 30 | 30.0 | 30 |
| Kameron Johnson | TB | Punt | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 |
McLaughlin connected from 52 and 49 yards to push his season mark to 10-for-10 from 50 yards or beyond. Gonzalez’s 43-yarder to end the game was the only kick that mattered.
Full Team Stats
| Stat | Atlanta Falcons | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 476 | 338 |
| Passing Yards | 365 | 250 |
| Rushing Yards | 111 | 88 |
| Total Plays | 66 | 61 |
| Yards Per Play | 7.2 | 5.5 |
| First Downs | 27 | 28 |
| Passing First Downs | 19 | 16 |
| Rushing First Downs | 6 | 5 |
| Penalty First Downs | 1 | 0 |
| 3rd Down Efficiency | 5/11 (45%) | 4/9 (44%) |
| 4th Down Efficiency | 1/1 (100%) | 0/0 |
| Red Zone Scoring | 4/4 (100%) | 3/3 (100%) |
| Penalties | 19 for 125 yds | 4 for 25 yds |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Sacks Allowed | 1 (-8 yds) | 5 (-27 yds) |
| Time of Possession | 31:51 | 28:09 |
| Yards After Catch | 204 | 57 |
| Air Yards | 175 | 234 |
| EPA Per Play (PFF) | +0.258 | -0.024 |
| Avg. Yards Per Drive | 41.8 | 30.7 |
| Total Drives | 10 | 10 |
| Explosive Pass Plays (15+) | 10 | 7 |
| Explosive Run Plays (10+) | 4 | 3 |
PFF Initial Grades — Top Performers
| Player | Team | Position | PFF Grade | Snaps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Pitts | ATL | TE | 90.9 | 68 |
| Tristan Wirfs | TB | T | 90.3 | 69 |
| Mike Evans | TB | WR | 84.9 | 38 |
| Kirk Cousins | ATL | QB | 80.8 | 71 |
| Chris Lindstrom | ATL | G | 79.0 | 71 |
| LaCale London | ATL | DI | 77.6 | 15 |
| David Onyemata | ATL | DI | 73.9 | 38 |
| Yaya Diaby | TB | ED | 72.7 | 55 |
| Logan Hall | TB | DI | 72.2 | 47 |
| Jacob Parrish | TB | CB | 70.5 | 61 |
What This Loss Meant for Tampa Bay
At 7-7 coming into Week 15, Tampa Bay needed this game to hold off Carolina in the NFC South. Instead, they fell a half-game behind the Panthers (then 7-6) with three games remaining. The Buccaneers had lost five of their last six.
Coach Todd Bowles did not spare his words postgame. His message to the locker room was direct enough that it was heavily edited in the transcript — he questioned his players’ effort, their focus, and their understanding of what their livelihoods demanded from them.
Cousins, for his part, reflected on what the win meant after the difficult two years since his Achilles tear and losing his starting role to Michael Penix Jr.
“Pro Football tests you,” he said. “It keeps me on my knees. All I know to do is trust and keep going and walk by faith, not by sight, and that can be hard sometimes. Nights like tonight, you get a boost.”
Atlanta had no playoff stake in this game. Tampa Bay did. The Buccaneers’ defense allowed 476 yards, their offense turned it over on the defining possession of the fourth quarter, and a backup tight end from Georgia put up numbers that hadn’t been seen at the position since 1996.
The Buccaneers vs Falcons player stats from December 11, 2025, are more than a box score — they document one of the more complete individual performances of the 2025 NFL season, and one of the more damaging losses of Tampa Bay’s year.
