ATLANTA – As Kirk Cousins ​​ran back through Tunnel No. 4 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium late Thursday night, a small crowd of Atlanta Falcons fans began clamoring for his attention, chanting “Kirk!”

Cousins, who had just completed the game of his career with a 36-30 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, looked over, smiled and gave a quick thumbs up.

It was for such moments that the Falcons brought Cousins ​​​​to Atlanta in March and paid him $180 million for it – when in the final moments, in overtime, it was important to make the plays that mean victory over defeat.

On Thursday night, Cousins ​​accomplished this with a performance that set both personal and franchise records.

Cousins ​​passed for 509 yards against Tampa Bay, the first time he had reached that milestone, surpassing his personal best of 460 yards set two years ago. He also set a Falcons record for passing yards in a game, breaking a mark set by former Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan, who threw for 503 yards against Carolina in 2016.

“This is the first time I've done this, but honestly it took me an extra quarter to get there with overtime. But Zac kept putting the ball in my hands and giving me a lot of offense,” Cousins ​​said, referring to Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.

“It’s amazing what you can do when you get out there on the field and get more opportunities.”

Coincidentally, it happened on a night when Ryan was inducted into the Falcons' Ring of Honor at halftime. Cousins ​​had opportunity after opportunity to break Ryan's mark. He completed passes to seven Falcons, including a career-high 12 to receiver Drake London for 154 yards and a touchdown. He also passed nine touchdowns to receiver Darnell Mooney for 105 yards and two touchdowns and seven to tight end Kyle Pitts for 88 yards.

At various points, Atlanta players realized Cousins ​​had something else going on Thursday night. As for running back Bijan Robinson, he realized this early in the fourth quarter when the Cousins ​​found Mooney for their second touchdown.

For Cousins, it came in the second quarter.

“I threw a few passes expecting where Kyle would be, where Drake would be,” Cousins ​​said. “And I was a little ahead, in a good sense. I threw it decisively.”

“I just wasn't that decisive in the first few weeks. I tried to kind of make sure they go there and make sure that’s what I see before I let it rip.”

On Thursday, he had the confidence, understanding and anticipation he was looking for, the kind he had in Washington and Minnesota. He had been looking for it with his Falcons teammates for the first month of the season. And now it started to flow. He started to feel more comfortable.

Falcons coach Raheem Morris described football as being “all about confidence” and every week he said he has seen Cousins ​​become more confident following his season-ending Achilles tendon injury in 2023. On Thursday there was another step toward what could be possible for the Falcons.

Cousins ​​completed 42 of 58 passes with four touchdowns and one interception. He targeted four pass catchers at least eight times in a back-and-forth game that featured five lead changes.

“That was crazy,” Pitts said. “And one of the guys threw 500, it was crazy to see it for yourself. He’s a true leader like Matt, and just having a guy like that, you can learn a lot from him.”

Still, it was the guy Cousins ​​had least targeted who came up with the winning play Thursday night: KhaDarel Hodge, who has been a deep receiver for most of his career and made his living in the NFL as a special teams key. Player deserved who could contribute to the emergency on offense.

Twice London left with possible injuries, and twice Hodge came into the game and made a catch, including in overtime. Hodge took the field with the offense at Tampa Bay's 45-yard line, caught a 5-yard hook, turned and began sprinting. Cousins ​​thought it would be a quick win and they would make another play. Instead, Hodge outran most of the Bucs defenders to the end zone.

Game over. Secured two consecutive wins against NFC South opponents. A 500-yard game for Cousins ​​came through.

It was Hodge's second career receiving touchdown and his first since 2022. And afterward, he landed on the shoulders of his teammates.

“I was trying to hold back tears,” Hodge said. “But they came out.”

Opportunities like this had been rare for Hodge. In his career he had often experienced moments in which he impersonated the star or played small offensive roles. In only one of his seven NFL seasons did he play more than 50% of his team's offensive snaps.

Cousins ​​found him for the winning play on a night where he regularly found his stars. That pass to Hodge, Cousins ​​said, would be unforgettable. Cousins ​​has shown what he can do when healthy and getting the ball. He always made the right decision and found the right player.

It was enough to give the Falcons two straight wins and move them to 3-2 in a close NFC South. And enough for the team to finally realize what they are capable of with their offense and their new quarterback.