Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​capped a career night with a game-winning touchdown pass to KhaDarel Hodge in overtime, giving the Falcons a 36-30 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on “Thursday Night Football.”

Cousins ​​passed for a career-high and franchise record 509 yards, along with four touchdowns and an interception, giving Atlanta its third win of the season. The Falcons needed it a 52-yard field goal by Younghoe Koo without time to enforce overtime. It was the second week in a row that Koo hit a late kick to lead Atlanta to victory.

In overtime, Cousins ​​hit Hodge, who spun onto the field and sprinted toward the end zone.

IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE! @ATLANTAFALCONS WIN! pic.twitter.com/0siBNxaHKQ

—NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2024

Another nail biter

The win will make for a fun weekend for the Falcons (3-2 overall, 2-0 in the NFC South) as they enter their mini-bye tied with the Buccaneers for the division lead but retain the early tiebreaker thanks to the win of Thursday .

Atlanta’s three wins all included the score for winning or tying the game in the final minute of regulation time or overtime. — Josh Kendall, Falcons beat writer

“You like that”

Cousins ​​had his best day as a Falcon and his best day anywhere in a while. His previous high in Atlanta was his 241 yards in Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles. His only interception of the game came on a desperate fourth down in the final two minutes. — Kendal

A perfect locker room party for the @AtlantaFalcons! pic.twitter.com/cdQ8ijkXir

—NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2024

OCs on display

Everyone in Atlanta came into the game wondering if Falcons first-year offensive coordinator Zac Robinson could hold his own in a head-to-head matchup against Tampa Bay coach and defensive end Todd Bowles. The answer to that was yes, but don’t forget about first-year Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen.

Like Robinson, Coen cut his teeth under Sean McVay in Los Angeles. Coen was the Rams’ offensive coordinator in 2022 when Robinson was Los Angeles’ quarterbacks coach, and Coen was one of the league’s top coordinators through the first part of the season.

Tampa Bay made an Atlanta defense that played well in the first four games of the season look porous Thursday night, gaining 333 yards and averaging 6.5 yards per play. — Kendal

Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield continued his hot start to the season. Mayfield only threw 23 passes, but he made the most of it.

He finished 19 of 24 for 180 yards and a passer rating of 137.5. Mayfield is third in the NFL in passer rating for the season (112.4).

Tampa Bay running back Rachaad White calmed some of the conversation about Buccaneers’ rookie Bucky Irving on Thursday

Irving appeared to push White for the starting job, but the fourth-year veteran responded with 72 yards on 10 carries against Atlanta, including a gain of 56 yards in the first half. Meanwhile, Irving had a costly fumble in the fourth quarter. —Kendall

Required reading

(Photo: Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)