A Dominant Performance On The Ground
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off a unique 16-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Playing in heavy rain, quarterback Baker Mayfield did not complete a single pass. He finished 0-of-3 in his second game back after sitting out three weeks with a fractured thumb.
Instead of passing, Tampa Bay relied completely on their running attack. Bucky Irving ran for 170 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. Kenny Gainwell added 140 rushing yards on 25 carries. It marked the first time in NFL history that two teammates each recorded at least 25 carries and 125 rushing yards in a single game.
Historical Numbers For Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay generated 324 rushing yards, which set a new franchise record. Their previous mark was 283 yards set back in November 2015 against Philadelphia. Due to a sack, the team finished with minus-2 net passing yards, meaning they gained 100.6 percent of their total yards on the ground.
This victory was the first time an NFL team won a game without completing a pass since September 1974. On that day, the Buffalo Bills defeated the New York Jets 16-12 while completing no passes.
Defense And Kicking Secure The Win
While the offense ground out yards, kicker Chase McLaughlin stayed perfect on the year by hitting three field goals from 46, 34, and 42 yards out. He is now 19-of-19 on field goal attempts this season. Irving added a 4-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to cap the scoring.
The Buccaneers defense also contained Atlanta completely. Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. struggled badly, completing 8 of 24 passes for 125 yards with four interceptions. Alex Anzalone picked off Penix twice, while Jacob Parrish added another interception. Atlanta running back Bijan Robinson was limited to 76 yards on 19 carries.
Turning The Season Around
Tampa Bay has now won three of its last four games after starting the season with four straight losses. Both the Buccaneers and the Falcons now sit at 3-5 on the year. Tampa Bay remains just half a game behind Carolina in the NFC South division standings.
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