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NFL Week 5 Recap: Atlanta Falcons 36, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30

2Y89N0F Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) slips a tackle by Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Tykee Smith (23) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

The Atlanta Falcons kicked off Week 5 with a thrilling 36-30 overtime victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday evening at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Even though he put the ball in harm's way a few times, Kirk Cousins knifed through Tampa Bay's passing defense all evening, finishing with over 500 passing yards and four touchdowns. Having said that, Cousins saved his best for last, as he led the Falcons offense to the game-tying field goal with no time left in the fourth quarter in addition to the game-winning drive to open overtime. The Falcons' victory improved them to 3-2 while the Bucs' loss moved them to 3-2.

PFF's dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at 12 p.m. EST.

In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field.

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PLAYER OF THE GAME

Falcons receiver Drake London was the best part of Atlanta's aerial attack in Thursday night's victory, finishing with 12 receptions from 13 targets for 154 receiving yards (47 of which came after the catch) and a touchdown. He picked up eight first downs (including the touchdown) and forced a missed tackle as a receiver as well.

BOX SCORE

Buccaneers Falcons
Total points 30 36
Total offensive plays 51 81
Average EPA per play 0.148 0.142
Total net yards 348 541
Avg yards per play 6.8 6.7
Total first downs 20 26
Rushing first downs 5 2
Passing first downs 14 24
Penalty first downs 1 0
Third-down efficiency 55% 43%
Fourth-down efficiency 0% 25%
Possessions 10 10
Avg plays per drive 6.1 8.7
Avg yards per drive 31.6 49.2
Avg points per drive 2.7 3.3
Red-zone possessions 3 3
Red-zone plays 10 7
Red-zone TDs 2 2
Red-zone FGs 1 0
Red-zone scoring efficiency 100% 67%

SNAP COUNTS & PLAYER PARTICIPATION

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