Falcons 28, Buccaneers 24
Matt Ryan hit Michael Jenkins for the go-ahead score with 4:30 left and Brent Grimes came up with a game-saving interception as the Atlanta Falcons held on for their sixth straight win, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28-24 on Sunday.
Eric Weems returned a kickoff 102 yards for the NFC South-leading Falcons (10-2), who overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to maintain a one-game lead over Chicago (9-3) and division rival New Orleans for home-field advantage in the conference.
It was a disheartening loss for Tampa Bay (7-5), which was in search of a signature win after being outscored 113-50 against teams with winning records.
After Ryan hit Jenkins for a 9-yard score that put Atlanta ahead 28-24, Josh Freeman drove the Buccaneers to the Atlanta 27-yard line with 2:18 remaining.
Freeman, who has six fourth-quarter comebacks in his young career, converted a fourth-and-11 with a 19-yard pass to Sammie Stroughter. But one play later, Grimes made a diving interception along the sideline.
The play was upheld after a short review and Atlanta was able to run out the clock behind Michael Turner, who finished with 88 yards and a touchdown.
The Buccaneers seemed headed toward their much-needed quality win when they took a 24-14 lead on a halfback pass from Earnest Graham to John Gilmore with 10:30 left in the game.