.Michael RothsteinCloseMichael RothsteinESPN Team WriterMichael Rothstein is a media reporter for NFL Country at ESPN. Rothstein covers the Atlanta Falcons. You can easily observe him through Twitter @MikeRothstein. Jenna LaineCloseJenna LaineESPN Personnel WriterJenna Laine deals with the Tampa bay Bay Buccaneers for ESPN. She began covering the Bucs for ESPN in 2016, but she has dealt with the group considering that 2009. Adhere To Jenna on Twitter: @JennaLaineESPN. Oct 3, 2024, 11:46 PM ETATLANTA-- The Atlanta Falcons as well as Tampa bay Bay Buccaneers established early that Thursday night's video game will be actually a repulsive slugfest along with both teams racking up touchdowns on their very first belongings, so it appeared proper the NFC South showdown would be actually made a decision by a lengthy TD pass.Kirk Relatives threw his 4th touchdown of the video game, a 45-yard credit rating to KhaDarel Hodge, that had actually gotten into the contest after a trauma to Drake London, to give the Falcons a 36-30 overtime victory.Younghoe Koo's 52-yard basket as opportunity expired in policy required overtime, and Relatives cared for the remainder as he set a franchise business report along with 509 passing gardens to remove Atlanta (3-2) into a tie atop the division.Kirk Relatives notched his fifth green light passing touchdown in the final moment of regulation/OT in the final 5 periods, which is actually the best in the NFL. AP Photo/John BazemoreAtlanta FalconsThe difference between creating the playoffs and also not, between succeeding a department and not, lies in video games like this one, and also Atlanta ga has actually possessed its own share of them.The Falcons have tracked within the ultimate min of the 4th one-fourth in each 3 of their wins this season. They are the first string in NFL past history to have 3 triumphes within their very first 5 games of a season in which they tracked in the ultimate minute of the 4th quarter.At 3-2, with remarkable back-to-back wins over New Orleans and Tampa Gulf, Atlanta georgia has an early lead in the NFC South due to tiebreakers over the Saints and also Buccaneers. That might verify crucial in December and also January in what seems a limited division.QB breakdown: Relatives looked well-balanced as well as back to become the quarterback the Falcons provided a $180 million deal to in the offseason. He accomplished 42 of 58 passes for 509 lawns, 4 touchdowns as well as 1 interception.It's the 6th time he has actually thrown for 350 gardens as well as three touchdowns in a prime-time game, matching Patrick Mahomes and Peyton Manning, according to ESPN Research.Eye-popping stat: Drake London continues to be actually dominant when he faces Tampa fl Bay-- three of his four occupation 100-yard activities have actually come against the Buccaneers, including Thursday's 12-catch, 154-yard functionality. He likewise got his initial goal versus Tampa fl Gulf in the 1st quarter.Promising fad: Darnell Mooney continues to appear additional like the receiver he resided in Chicago in 2021 than in his final two times with the Bears. He had his 1st video game with several goal finds-- in 2021 he possessed an activity along with a hurrying and also receiving touchdown-- and his 9 catches for 105 yards are both near job highs for him. He carried out have 2 decreases, nevertheless, featuring one that could have confirmed costly.Most unexpected performance: A week after certainly not capturing an elapsed against New Orleans, tight end Kyle Pitts invested his ideal analytical activity in almost a year, ordering 7 catches for 88 backyards, once more becoming component of Atlanta georgia's outburst. His catches and lawns are his most considering that Oct. 8, 2023, against Houston, when Pitts possessed 7 catches for 87 yards on a career-high 11 targets.-- Michael RothsteinNext video game: at Carolina Panthers (4:25 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. 13) Mike Evans scratched his 99th goal celebration, tying him with Don Hutson for 11th-most enduring. Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesTampa Bay BuccaneersAll summer long, the Bucs heard the Falcons were actually the staff to defeat in the NFC South, in spite of Tampa succeeding the branch recent 3 years. That rang true Thursday evening, along with it today being a three-team nationality along with the Bucs at New Orleans next.Tampa Gulf possesses a lot of players it needs to have to receive well-balanced, and also it has 9 times to carry out it. The Bucs need to know how to end up, though, along with the injustice entirely obstructed in the 2nd one-half and poor dealing with on defense.QB breakdown: Baker Mayfield finished 13 of 16 masquerade 131 yards, three touchdowns-- pair of to wide receiver Mike Evans-- and no interceptions in the initial half. He was actually blitzed on 7 of 15 dropbacks (47%) in the initial one-half, with all three touchdowns arriving versus the blitz. Mayfield's 11 touchdowns by means of the initial 5 games are actually a career best.But after the big initial one-half, Mayfield as well as the Buccaneers rarely did anything in the second one-half with the sky, amounting to 49 yards.Biggest hole in the strategic plan: Along with Tampa bay linebacker SirVocea Dennis on damaged reserve with a shoulder accident, the Falcons often made use of K.J. Britt in protection. He surrendered an 18-yard touchdown to wide receiver Drake London on the opening drive.Surprising performance: The Bucs' protection surrendering 550 yards of total offense. It took a step forward recently against the Eagles in terms of skipped confronts yet struggled against the Falcons within this division. The Falcons finished with 235 yards after the catch, their most in a game because Week 8 of 2019 versus Seattle (236 ).-- Jenna LaineNext video game: at New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. ET, Sunday, Oct. thirteen).