By Kirk Cousins threw for a franchise-record 509 yards on Thursday Night Football as the Atlanta Falcons mounted another dramatic comeback to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 36-30 in overtime.
After Atlanta kicker Younghoe Koo made a last-second 52-yard field goal to tie the game and force OT, Cousins went three-for-three on his throws for 69 yards, finding KhaDarel Hodge with a 45-yard touchdown pass – the quarterback’s fourth TD of the game – to claim a dramatic victory.
The 36-year-old, who signed an $180 million contract with Atlanta in March following his move from the Minnesota Vikings, beat the previous franchise record of 503 yards set by Matt Ryan against the Carolina Panthers in 2016. Coincidentally, the new record came on the night that Ryan was inducted into the Falcons’ Ring of Honor.
Cousins also beat his own career high of 460 yards, which he threw in 2022 while with the Vikings, as well as tying his personal best of four touchdown passes in a game.
The four-time Pro Bowl QB joins Tom Brady as the only players to record 500-plus passing yards and four-plus touchdown throws in a primetime game, according to NFL Research.
“What a night,” Cousins said afterwards, per AP. “I’m exhausted.”
Remarkably, Atlanta has trailed in the final minute of the fourth quarter in all five of its games this season, but has won three of them. The Falcons are the first team in NFL history to pull off such a feat to open the season.
“I’m proud of the way our team fought,” Cousins said, per NFL.com. “I’m proud of the resiliency we showed to just keep going and keep playing through things. I’m just proud of the grit. That’s what this league takes, and we were gritty tonight so pleased to come away with a win.
“Win or lose, I would have been pleased with the steps we took on offense tonight, but it’s a lot of fun to win and have that moment on the field with your teammates and home fans.”
Both teams started fast, scoring touchdowns on their first possessions of the game, with Cousins kicking off the contest with an 18-yard TD toss to Drake London.
Following Bucs signal-caller Baker Mayfield’s two-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans and a 53-yard field goal from Tampa Bay kicker Chase McLaughlin, Cousins re-established Atlanta’s lead with a 24-yard TD to Darnell Mooney in the second quarter.
Mayfield enjoyed an excellent game himself, throwing two more touchdown passes before halftime, and another field goal from McLaughlin late in the third meant the Bucs entered the fourth quarter up 27-20.
With 13:18 remaining, Cousins found Mooney at the 10-yard line, who spun past Tykee Smith and raced into the end zone to tie the game again, before McLaughlin’s third field goal of the night made it 30-27 to Tampa Bay.
But with 1:14 remaining, the Falcons got the ball back at their own 20 and Cousins completed five passes to push to the Bucs 29-yard line. In the final second, Koo’s field goal forced overtime, allowing Cousins to write his name in the history books.
The QB found Hodge at the 40, who broke a tackle, found a gap in the secondary and sped to the end zone to complete the dramatic, walkoff win.
