Falcons Stun Buccaneers with Last Second Touchdown in Season 33 Opener

ATLANTA, GA - Chuck Davis' Atlanta Falcons opened Season 33 with pure chaos and a perfect finish, outlasting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 42-41 after Michael Penix Jr. dropped a 30-yard strike to Kyle Pitts with eight seconds left. In a game that featured 11 total touchdowns and 888 combined passing yards, Atlanta erased a double-digit deficit and survived a late Tampa Bay field goal to start 1-0.

Penix drops six, Mayfield nearly perfect

Penix Jr. authored a debut for the books: 24-of-36, 425 yards, 6 TDs, 0 INTs (146.4 rating), and he was never sacked. He spread it around, but two connections swung the night-an explosive 74-yard catch-and-run to Bijan Robinson midway through the third and the game-winner to Pitts in the final seconds. Across the sideline, Baker Mayfield was surgical: 29-of-33, 421 yards, 5 TDs, 0 INTs (158.3). He kept Tampa Bay humming with scores to Mike Evans (2), Chris Godwin Jr., Bucky Irving, and Emeka Egbuka, plus a pair of Chase McLaughlin field goals (25, 27).

Falcons rally late in dramatic finish

Tampa Bay carried a 38-35 edge into the fourth quarter after a wild back-and-forth third. A Chase McLaughlin 27-yard field goal with just over two minutes left extended the Buccaneers' lead to six, putting Atlanta in a must-score situation. That set the stage for Michael Penix Jr.'s defining drive: calmly working down the field before firing a 30-yard strike to Kyle Pitts with only eight seconds left on the clock. The touchdown capped a night where Atlanta clawed back from every deficit, finally seizing the game's last lead and never giving it back.

Stars of the night

– Pitts: 4 receptions, 108 yards, 3 TDs (47- and 15-yarders early, the 30-yard winner late). – Mooney: 9 catches, 113 yards, TD. – Robinson: 15 rushes for 71 yards, plus 5-126-1 receiving (long 74). – Evans: 7-86-2, including a first-quarter strike and a third-quarter red-zone grab. – Godwin Jr.: 8-112-1. – Egbuka: 8-124-1 with a 42-yard dagger at the time. – Defense: A.J. Terrell Jr. led Atlanta with 7 tackles; David Onyemata and Leonard Floyd combined for 3.0 sacks as the Falcons logged the game's only sacks. – Kicking: Younghoe Koo went 6-for-6 on PATs.

What they said

Falcons HC Chuck Davis: "We talk about poise and answers. Every time they asked a question, our guys answered. That last call to Kyle was trust-quarterback to tight end, game on the line."

Michael Penix Jr.: "Protection was elite. Zero sacks lets me get to the second read, then the third. On the last one, we saw the leverage we wanted and let it rip."

Kyle Pitts: "Red zone, clock bleeding, you want the moment. Mike put it where only I could get it. That's the standard for us this season."

Baker Mayfield: "We executed at a high level, but you leave a window open for 30 seconds and good teams make you pay. We'll finish next week."

Mike Evans: "It's a gut punch. Lot to like on offense; we've got to close it out as a team."

Key numbers

Atlanta: 425 passing yards, 6 passing TDs, 0 sacks allowed, 6-for-6 PATs. Tampa Bay: 421 passing yards, 5 passing TDs; Irving totaled 137 yards (70 rush, 67 receiving). Both teams were perfect on kicks; the margin was a single defensive stop-and one last Falcons strike.

Up Next

The Falcons go on the road to face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2. The Buccaneers stay on the road to meet the Houston Texans.