Buccaneers defeat Falcons 16-0 without completing a pass, set club rushing record

Tampa Bay Buccaneers overcame the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium, amassing a club-record 324 rushing yards while completing no passes. Quarterback Baker Mayfield attempted three throws, none of which were caught, marking only the second time in the Super Bowl era a team finished a game without a completed pass. The previous occurrence was on Sept. 29, 1974, when the Buffalo Bills failed to complete a pass in a game against the Miami Dolphins.

Coach Todd Bowles said the weather dictated the game plan. > "The conditions told him that. I mean, you could see it as a downpour down there and the wind's blowing. You can kind of see the ball wasn't going anywhere," Bowles explained.

Running backs Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell combined for 310 yards, with Irving gaining 170 yards on 27 carries (6.3 yards per carry) and Gainwell adding 140 yards on 25 carries (5.6 yards per attempt). Irving noted the team's focus on playing through the weather. > "Rain, snow, muddy, you're going to have to play in it anyway," he said.

Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr. completed eight of 24 passes and threw four interceptions, while the Buccaneers relied exclusively on their ground attack throughout the game.