Falcons triumph over Buccaneers in electrifying OT victory despite record yardage
In an excitement-laden game where both defenses seemed to be on a semi-permanent coffee break, the Atlanta Falcons ran riot over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, amassing a staggering 550 yards with Quarterback Kirk Cousins throwing rockets all game resulting in 509 yards. Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield did his bit with no interceptions and 3 passing touchdowns, but it seemed like the Buccaneers had forgotten the part of the game where they're supposed to stop the other team from doing exactly what they want.
The match saw phenomenal touchdowns from Darnell Mooney and Mike Evans, both having a couple each, but it was Khadarel Hodge's touchdown in overtime that swayed the game Falcons' way, final score, 36-30.
Despite an impressive win, Atlanta's Jessie Bates deserves a gentle slap on the wrist for those 2 forced fumbles, while Tampa Bay might just consider clamping a GPS on Rachaad White with his efficient 72 rushing yards. Nitpicking aside, it's always a joy to watch grown men toss around an inflated piece of pigskin with such gusto.
Neither team seemed to respect the idea of turnovers, each treating themselves to one, as though they were sharing a pie. Atlanta were odds on favorites pre-game and perhaps they took it to heart on their way to 28 first downs against Tampa Bay's 21.
The recent common thread for both teams has been inconsistency with alternating losses and wins. Hey, consistency is boring anyway. In a surprise twist with more plot than M. Night Shyamalan's entire filmography, Atlanta snapped the Tampa Bay winning streak who had masterfully strung two wins together.
Looking ahead, the Buccaneers face New Orleans, who for all their effort in recent games, might just be the amuse-bouche Tampa's looking for. As for Atlanta, they'll encounter Carolina, who they'll hope are as defensive as an internet troll when confronted with basic facts.