USA Today's NFL experts make their picks for a Week 15 showdown between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons

Week 15 is officially upon us in the NFL, with the Falcons heading to Tampa on Thursday night to take on the Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers fell to 7-7, a half-game behind the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South. It has been a tough time for Cousins, who was benched last season and lost his job. He got it back due to a season-ending knee injury to Penix. He had been written off at age 37. But for one night at least, the Falcons looked smart for keeping him on the roster.

Unfortunately for the Bucs though, they didn't walk away with the win and that's because they totally imploded in a stunning 29-28 loss that knocked them into second place in the NFC South. The Falcons committed a franchise-record 19 penalties, they missed TWO two-point conversions in the fourth quarter, and yet, they somehow still won.

The Atlanta Falcons swiped a win from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night, and tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. appeared to finally realize his potential.

Pitts led the way with a PFF grade of 90.5 in Week 15. It was by far the highest grade recorded on either side of the ball and the only elite rating of the game. Chris Lindstrom, Ryan Neuzil, Matthew Berteron and David Sills all cracked the list as well.

Tight end Kyle Pitts, who had 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns against Tampa Bay, leads the Falcons with 73 catches for 797 yards. Running back Bijan Robinson, who had 11 catches for 82 yards against the Buccaneers, is second on the team with 64 catches for 684 yards.

The Buccaneers had a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter against the division-rival Falcons, but a late interception by quarterback Baker Mayfield and the defense's inability to stop a driving Atlanta offense on a third-and-28—and fourth-and-14—with the game on the line ultimately doomed Tampa Bay.