Buccaneers Set Rushing Record as Mayfield Completes No Passes Against Falcons

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 on Sunday, securing a win without completing a single forward pass. Quarterback Baker Mayfield went 0-for-3 in his second game back from a fractured thumb, relying instead on a historic rushing attack to overwhelm the opposition on a field slick with driving rain.

The Buccaneers established a team record for rushing yards in a single game with 324 total yards. They became the first NFL team since the Buffalo Bills in 1974 to record zero completions in a contest. The victory improved Tampa Bay’s record to 3-5, moving them to within half a game of the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South standings.

Bucky Irving carried the ball 27 times for 170 yards and a touchdown, while Kenny Gainwell added 140 yards on 25 carries. Kicker Chase McLaughlin made three field goals to extend his perfect season to 19 for 19. The scoring came from a 4-yard run by Irving in the third quarter and three kicks from distances of 46, 34, and 42 yards.

The Buccaneers’ previous rushing high was 283 yards, set by the late Doug Martin in a 45-17 win at Philadelphia on Nov. 22, 2015. The current offense has shown a distinct shift toward the ground game, as Tampa Bay also rushed for substantial yardage in a 43-13 win over the Panthers the previous week.

The defense limited the Falcons’ Bijan Robinson to 76 yards on 19 carries. Atlanta’s Michael Penix Jr. threw for 125 yards on 8 of 24 attempts but was intercepted four times. It was Penix’s first game in Tampa since graduating from Tampa Bay Tech High in 2018. He faced a familiar figure in Mayfield, a quarterback who once played under head coach Kevin Stefanski with Cleveland.

Mayfield’s connection with Stefanski was not close after Stefanski traded Mayfield to Carolina in 2022. Mayfield has noted his disappointment that Stefanski did not reach out following the move. On Sunday, Mayfield scrambled for 13 yards but otherwise stayed in the background as the running backs dominated the time of possession.

The Falcons opened the game with a miss, as Nick Folk attempted a 53-yard field goal that went wide left. The Buccaneers capitalised on the mistake immediately. Later, an interception by Alex Anzalone and a penalty on Drake London gave Tampa Bay a short field, but a fumble by Irving forced a touchback. The defense then forced two more turnovers to set up the remaining field goals.

The 1974 Buffalo Bills game that set the previous mark occurred in windy conditions with sideways rain. Joe Ferguson was 0-for-2 for Buffalo, while O.J. Simpson ran for 117 yards. New York’s Joe Namath completed just 2 of 18 passes for 33 yards in that contest.