Buccaneers shut out Falcons without a completion as rushing attack sets club record

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 on Sunday without completing a pass, relying on a franchise-record 324 rushing yards in heavy rain. Baker Mayfield attempted only three throws as Tampa Bay turned an extraordinary offensive stat line into a shutout victory in Week Eight of the NFL season, BBC Sport reported.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGnOFwQPXD4

Bucky Irving finished with 170 rushing yards and Kenneth Gainwell added 140, accounting for most of the Buccaneers' production. Tampa Bay ran the ball 56 times, while Atlanta managed 99 yards from 28 carries. With torrential rain making handling difficult, Mayfield spent much of the afternoon giving the ball to his running backs rather than throwing downfield.

BBC Sport reported that Tampa Bay became the first NFL team to finish a game without a completed pass since 1974, and only the second in the Super Bowl era. The unusual result came on a Sunday when at least six players reached 140 rushing yards, something that had not happened on the same day since 2003.

The Buccaneers' own match report detailed a defensive performance that was just as decisive. Michael Penix was intercepted four times, with Alex Anzalone making two of those catches and Jacob Parrish and Zyon McCollum adding one each. Atlanta finished with 224 total yards. The shutout was Tampa Bay's first since its victory at Carolina in the 2023 season finale.

Chase McLaughlin supplied all nine of Tampa Bay's first-half points through three field goals. Irving then scored from four yards out late in the third quarter after a drive featuring his 46-yard run and a 28-yard gain by Gainwell. Earlier, Irving had lost a likely touchdown when a fumble went through the end zone for a touchback.

According to the club's report, the victory moved Tampa Bay to 3-5 overall and 2-0 against divisional opponents, level with Atlanta's overall record. Irving carried 27 times and Gainwell 24 times, with both setting personal single-game rushing highs. Mayfield's two-yard sack left the Buccaneers with 322 net offensive yards, two fewer than their rushing total.