CNN
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Kirk Cousins ​​threw for a franchise-record 509 yards on Thursday Night Football as the Atlanta Falcons staged another dramatic comeback to defeat 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 a $180 million contract with Atlanta in March after transferring from the Minnesota Vikings, beat the previous franchise record of 503 yards, set by Matt Ryan in 2016 against the Carolina Panthers. Coincidentally, the new record came the night Ryan was inducted into the Falcons’ Ring of Honor.

Cousins ​​also surpassed his own career-high of 460 yards, which he threw in 2022 while with the Vikings, and tied his personal best of four touchdown passes in a game.

According to NFL Research, the four-time Pro Bowl QB is the only player along with Tom Brady to record more than 500 passing yards and more than four touchdown throws in a primetime game.

“What a night,” Cousins ​​said afterward, per AP. “I’m exhausted.”

Remarkably, Atlanta trailed in the final minute of the fourth quarter in all five games this season, but won three. 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 ​​told NFL.com. “I’m proud of the resilience we’ve shown to just keep going and keep playing things. I’m just proud of the courage. That’s what this league needs, and we were so happy tonight to come away with a win.

“Win or lose, I would have been happy with the steps we made on offense tonight, but it’s really nice to win and have that moment on the field with your teammates and home fans.”

Both teams started fast and scored touchdowns on their first possession of the game, with Cousins ​​starting the game with an 18-yard TD throw to Drake London.

After Bucs signal caller Baker Mayfield’s touchdown pass to Mike Evans and a 53-yard field goal by Tampa Bay kicker Chase McLaughlin, Cousins ​​restored Atlanta’s lead with a 24-yard touchdown 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 went into 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 for Tampa Bay.

But with 1:14 to go, the Falcons got the ball back at their own 20 and Cousins ​​completed five passes to advance 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 hole in the secondary and raced into the end zone to complete the dramatic walkoff win.