ATLANTA – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered action Thursday as one of the league’s most potent blitz teams, but they changed their strategy against the Atlanta Falcons and Kirk Cousins ​​made them pay for it.

Cousins ​​threw his second touchdown of the first half – a 25-yarder to Darnell Mooney, who made a jumping grab between two defenders to give Atlanta a 14-7 lead. The touchdown pass gave Cousins ​​276 in his career, passing Vinny Testaverde for 18th all-time.

At the start of the fourth quarter, the two met for another touchdown. The 12-yard reception gave Mooney his first multi-TD game of his career.

Look, I’m not dancing now, I’m doing Mooney moves 🔥#TBvsATL on Prime Video
Will continue to stream #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/aSaARwO5Qi

– NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2024

The Buccaneers entered the game with 37% dropbacks (third most in the NFL). But they only hit Cousins ​​once on the first 16 dropbacks (6%), and Cousins ​​was 11 of 14 for 161 and 2 TDs against Tampa’s standard pass rush.

Drake London scored first when he caught the pass over the middle, right into the pocket of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers zone, and the Atlanta Falcons receiver spun toward the end zone.

He bounced off safety Christian Izien at the 4-yard line, turned around and then pushed his way through two more tacklers as he headed into the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown to give the Falcons a 7-0 lead provided.

Quick work for the Falcons! @KirkCousins8 finds @DrakeLondon_ for 6️⃣#TBvsATL on Prime Video
Will continue to stream #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/6pK8eByEjK

– NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2024

It was London’s second catch of the first drive, one highlighted by a 32-yard pass from Cousins ​​to Kyle Pitts.

It’s London’s third touchdown reception this season – and the third time he’s scored in the last four games.