Last offseason, the Atlanta Falcons traded up into the first round of the 2025 NFL draft to select edge rusher James Pearce Jr. with the 26th overall pick. Pearce currently leads all rookies with eight sacks and has recorded at least one in each of his last six games.

Zane Gonzalez ’s 43-yard FG gave the Falcons a 29-28 walkoff win at Raymond James Stadium, on the back of Kyle Pitts’ special night — taking three TD catches from Kirk Cousins to keep the Bucs in their sights throughout.

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

The Falcons beat the Buccaneers on Thursday night despite a stunning display of penalties, the likes of which the NFL had not seen in years.

Kirk Cousins threw three touchdown passes to Kyle Pitts Sr., and Zane Gonzalez kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to complete the Atlanta Falcons' rally for a 29-28 victory victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday night.

When the Falcons came back from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Bucs 29-28, it left the Panthers (7-6) in sole possession of first in the NFC South for the first time since Week 17 of their 2015 Super Bowl season.

On Thursday night, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to 7-7 on the season, and now their path to the NFL Playoffs is quite complicated.