Buccaneers shut out Falcons 16-0 without completing a pass
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won without a completed pass, turning a rain-soaked divisional game into a 16-0 shutout of the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won without a completed pass, turning a rain-soaked divisional game into a 16-0 shutout of the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium. Baker Mayfield went 0-for-3, but Tampa Bay’s ground game and defense made the unusual statistic enough to secure a crucial Week Eight victory.
The result is reported as the first NFL win without a completion since 1974, and the first such victory with at least 10 points since 1945. The game details support the zero-completion claim: Mayfield attempted three passes and completed none.
Ground game took over
With rain pooling on the field and making ballhandling difficult, Tampa Bay leaned on its runners. Bucky Irving carried 27 times for a career-high 170 yards, while Kenny Gainwell added 140 yards, also a career best. The Buccaneers’ 324 rushing yards set a single-game franchise record.
They had made the running game a priority after rushing for 258 yards against Carolina in Week Seven. Against Atlanta, that approach became the entire offensive plan. Mayfield handled the ball and handed it off; despite a couple of fumbled exchanges with center Graham Barton, Tampa Bay kept producing on the ground.
No completions. No problem.
The defense finished the job by intercepting Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. four times. Atlanta failed to score, giving Tampa Bay its first shutout since the 2023 season finale. The Falcons’ offense struggled to find rhythm in the conditions, and the turnovers compounded the problem.
Division race stays tight
The win followed Tampa Bay’s victory over Carolina and strengthened its position in a tightly contested NFC South, where each divisional result carries weight. The Buccaneers entered Week Seven facing roughly a 1% chance of reaching the playoffs, then won two straight against division opponents.
Atlanta, meanwhile, fell to 1-2 in NFC South play. That record leaves the Falcons with ground to recover, though the division remains unsettled.
Tampa Bay’s next test is against the Chicago Bears. The Buccaneers’ record-setting rushing performance will be difficult to repeat as a complete substitute for passing, but against Atlanta the run game supplied all 324 yards.
