The Tampa Bay Atlanta score from their last meeting on December 11, 2025, is one of those results that just doesn't make sense when you look at the box score. Honestly, the Atlanta Falcons tried their best to give the game away. They committed 19 penalties. That is a franchise record for futility. Yet, when the clock hit zero at Raymond James Stadium, the scoreboard read Atlanta 29, Tampa Bay 28.
It was a classic NFC South mess.
You’ve got Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers looking like they’ve finally put the division away, leading by 14 points in the fourth quarter. Then, the wheels just fall off. If you’re a Bucs fan, this one is going to sting for a long time. It wasn't just a loss; it was a total collapse in the final 13 minutes.
The Final Score and How We Got There
Basically, the game was a tale of two halves—or more accurately, a tale of the first 50 minutes versus the last 10. Tampa Bay held a 28-14 lead after Mayfield found Chris Godwin Jr. for a three-yard touchdown. They even converted the two-point attempt. It felt over.
But Kirk Cousins, who has spent the 2025 season mostly playing second fiddle to the hype around Michael Penix Jr. (before Penix's injury), reminded everyone why he's still a top-tier vet. He started carving.
Key Scoring Summary
- First Quarter: Tampa Bay jumps out to a 7-0 lead thanks to a Sean Tucker plunge.
- Second Quarter: Atlanta fights back to lead 14-13 at the half.
- Third Quarter: The Bucs regain control, heading into the final frame up 20-14.
- Fourth Quarter: Drama. Pure, unadulterated drama.
Atlanta’s comeback was fueled by a dominant performance from Kyle Pitts Sr. People have been waiting for "the Pitts game" for years. This was it. He finished with 11 catches for 152 yards and three touchdowns. He basically became the first tight end since Shannon Sharpe in 1996 to post those kinds of numbers.
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That Insane Final Drive
After Bijan Robinson scored to make it 28-21, Mayfield threw a brutal interception to Dee Alford. It changed everything. Suddenly, the Falcons had life. Cousins drove them down, hit Pitts for another score, but they missed the two-point conversion.
Score: 28-27.
Tampa Bay just needed one first down to end it. They couldn't do it. A crucial incompletion to Emeka Egbuka on third down gave the ball back to Atlanta with no timeouts and less than two minutes left.
Then came the "third-and-28."
Yeah, you read that right. A sack and a holding penalty put Atlanta in a 3rd & 28 hole. Most teams fold there. Instead, Cousins found Pitts for 14 yards, then hit David Sills V for 20 yards on 4th & 14. It was unreal. Zane Gonzalez, who had already seen one field goal nullified earlier in the game, stepped up and nailed a 43-yarder as time expired.
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Final: 29-28.
What the Stats Don't Tell You
The Tampa Bay Atlanta score hides some of the grit.
Baker Mayfield was 19/34 for 277 yards. He played well enough to win, but that late interception was the killer. On the other side, the Falcons' defense was gashed for 476 yards of total offense but came up with the takeaway when it mattered most.
James Pearce Jr., the Falcons rookie, was a monster. Two sacks on Mayfield in the first half alone. He’s already breaking records that have stood since the early 80s.
Performance Leaders
- Kirk Cousins: 30/44, 373 yards, 3 TDs.
- Mike Evans: 6 catches, 132 yards (proving he's still that guy).
- Bijan Robinson: 93 yards on the ground and a crucial late TD.
Why This Result Ruined the NFC South Race
For Tampa Bay, this loss was catastrophic. Entering the game at 7-6, they had a chance to seize control of the division. Instead, they fell to 7-7 and let the Carolina Panthers (who have been surprisingly pesky in 2026) take the lead.
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Atlanta was already essentially out of the playoff hunt at 4-9 before this game, but they played spoiler perfectly. It’s the kind of win that saves a coach's job or at least makes the flight home a lot better.
Actionable Takeaways for the Next Matchup
If you are looking at how these two teams stack up moving forward, here is what you need to watch.
- Monitor the Bucs Secondary: They allowed nearly 400 yards to a 37-year-old Kirk Cousins. Without adjustments, any decent QB will pick them apart.
- The Kyle Pitts Factor: Atlanta finally figured out that if you throw the ball to your 6'6" unicorn, good things happen. Expect him to be the focal point of the offense for the rest of the 2025-2026 cycle.
- Mayfield's Late-Game Decision Making: Baker is at his best when he’s aggressive, but "Danger Baker" showed up in the fourth quarter. He needs to find the balance between playmaking and game management.
- The Penalty Problem: Atlanta cannot expect to win many games while committing 19 penalties. That is a coaching issue that needs to be addressed in the offseason.
The rivalry is clearly alive and well. Even when the records aren't great, Tampa and Atlanta find a way to make it weird.
Check the injury reports for Chris Godwin and Mike Hughes before their next meeting, as both took heavy hits in this contest. If you're betting or playing fantasy, the "Over" on Kyle Pitts targets is officially a lock until further notice.