Tampa Bay wins 16-0 with zero pass completions

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 on Sunday without completing a single forward pass. The result marks the first time an NFL team has won a game by at least 10 points without a pass completion since the 1945 Pittsburgh Steelers. Tampa Bay also recorded 324 rushing yards, a feat not seen in a completion-less victory since the Boston Braves in 1933.

Heavy rain in Tampa pushed the coaching staff toward a strictly ground-based strategy. Quarterback Baker Mayfield threw three passes and completed none. He returned to the lineup after missing three games with a dislocated right thumb. His last start was a 43-13 road win at Carolina in Week 7.

Running back Bucky Irving carried the ball 27 times for 170 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry. Kenneth Gainwell added 140 yards on 25 carries, averaging 5.6 yards per attempt. Mayfield contributed 14 yards on four carries. Irving and Gainwell became the first teammates in NFL history to each record at least 25 carries and 125 rushing yards in a single game.

The Buccaneers' defense forced Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr. into four interceptions. That is a career high for Penix Jr. He completed eight of 24 passes for 125 yards. No Falcons quarterback had thrown four interceptions in one game since Kirk Cousins did so in a 17-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 13 of the 2024 season.

Tampa Bay has now won consecutive games against NFC South rivals. In Week 7, the team forced four turnovers against the Panthers, including a 32-yard fumble return for a touchdown. Mayfield completed seven of 14 passes for 64 yards and a touchdown across those two recent weeks.

The Panthers remain in first place in the NFC South with a 3-4 record. The Buccaneers and Falcons sit at 3-5. The New Orleans Saints are 2-5 and sat out Week 8. The division remains the most volatile in the NFL through the first half of the season.