Baker Mayfield: Bucs Have 'to Learn How to Finish' After OT Loss to Cousins, Falcons

After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers let a 30-27 lead late in the fourth quarter slip away in Thursday's overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Baker Mayfield wants to see the team get better at closing games.

Speaking to reporters after the loss, Mayfield said the Bucs need to "learn how to finish" when they have a lead at the end of games.

"All I care about is wins," Mayfield told reporters. "That's it. So I've got to find a way to finish that game out on offense. I was thinking about the first half, missing that shot to Shep. ... I'm just replaying that one over in my head, that maybe it shouldn't have even been an overtime situation. I have to make the plays when they're there. Then in the second half, just got to take care of the football, and got to finish on offense."

The Bucs went up by three on Chase McLaughlin's 53-yard field goal with 10:23 remaining in the fourth quarter. Atlanta got into position for a game-tying field goal on its next possession, but Younghoe Koo's 54-yard attempt was blocked.

Tampa's attempt to run out the clock and extend its lead was spoiled when Bucky Irving's fumble was recovered by Falcons linebacker Kaden Ellis. The Buccaneers' defense seemed to end the chaos when Lavonte David picked off a Kirk Cousins' pass in Falcons' territory with 1:35 left to play.

The ensuing drive for Tampa was a complete mess, including a holding penalty and three plays that lost yardage to push the offense back to the Falcons' 42-yard line.

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles elected to punt rather than try a 60-yard field goal. Trenton Gill's punt landed in the end zone for a touchback with 81 seconds left. Koo redeemed himself with a 52-yard field goal as time expired to force overtime.

Atlanta won the overtime coin toss and needed just four plays to get the game-winning touchdown when KhaDarel Hodge caught a short pass, broke a tackle and ran past the defense for a 45-yard score.

Neither defense covered itself in glory on Thursday. The Bucs, who entered the game averaging 96 rushing yards per game, ran for 160 yards on 26 attempts.

Cousins set a career-high with 509 passing yards and four touchdowns against Tampa's defense. He had just 468 passing yards in the past two games combined and hadn't thrown for 250 yards in a game this season before Thursday night.

The Bucs have lost two of their last three games after a 2-0 start. The Falcons have won back-to-back games against NFC South opponents in four days after Sunday's victory over the New Orleans Saints.

Mayfield and the Buccaneers will look to get back on track in Week 6 when they take on the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on Oct. 13.