NFC Notes: Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield, Kyle Pitts, Buccaneers, Falcons

Buccaneers

Tampa Bay fell short in overtime on Thursday Night Football to Atlanta despite a strong performance from their offense. Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield talked about their need to finish games better so they can control their fate. 

“All I care about is wins,” Mayfield said, via Scott Smith of the team’s website. “We’ve got to find a way to finish that game out on offense. We have to make the plays when they’re there. In the second half, we’ve got to take care of the football and we’ve got to finish on offense.”

• Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles is open to using more dime packages but he noted it isn’t possible while S Antoine Winfield Jr. is out. (Jenna Laine)
• Bowles spoke on how they might approach the inside linebacker spot going forward: “We’re confident in KJ (Britt) but at the same time, we need to make more tackles. I thought our zone drops and our tackling weren’t very good, and that’s where we kinda got behind the 8 ball.” (Laine)

Falcons

Falcons QB Kirk Cousins threw for 509 yards in Week 5 to lead them to a 3-2 record with an OT win over Tampa Bay. Atlanta HC Raheem Morris feels Cousins is gradually looking better as he returns to form from an Achilles injury last year.

“This game is all about confidence. This game is going out and getting better and better every single week,” Morris said, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “That’s what he’s been doing since he’s been back. He’s coming off a significant injury, and I’ve watched him get better every single week. We talked about it, from Pittsburgh, every single week it’s been better.”

• The Falcons announced P Bradley Pinion experienced neck spasms prior to Thursday’s game but was good enough to play without an injury designation, per Tori McElheney. 

Falcons

Falcons OC Zac Robinson said the team is still working to get the ball in TE Kyle Pitts‘ hands.

“Of course, you’re wanting to get the ball in his hands,” Robinson said, via The Athletic. “He’ll continue to get the ball in the flow of the offense as it goes. He’s doing a great job. I think the more that he can be detail-oriented and play as fast as he can, the ball is naturally just going to find him.”

Falcons QB Kirk Cousins admitted that he missed Pitts on a throw but is cautious about not trying to force the ball to him.

“It’s interesting because the under route I threw to him, I actually shouldn’t have,” Cousins said after Week 4’s over the New Orleans Saints. “I should have gone over his head to Ray-Ray (McCloud). The third down at midfield, I threw it to Drake (London), and looking back I wish I had thrown it to Kyle over his head on a deep corner route. There are some plays where I come back to the sideline and say, ‘Hey, Kyle, I have to work you better there.’ And there are other ones where I did work to him and I say, ‘I probably forced it.’ It goes both ways, you just always go where your reads take you.”