An NFL first since 1974

Zero Completed Passes, but a Win

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off an extremely rare feat on Sunday. They defeated the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 without completing a single pass the entire game.

Quarterback Baker Mayfield finished the game with a stat line of 0-for-3, for 0 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He targeted Ted Hurst, Chris Godwin, and Kenneth Gainwell once each, without success.

As this post points out, the Buccaneers have become the first NFL team since 1974 to win a game without completing a pass. The last team to do so was the Buffalo Bills, who defeated the New York Jets 16-12 on September 29, 1974.

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This is only the second time in the Super Bowl era that a team has won without completing a pass, and the sixth time in NFL history. The Buccaneers are also the first team since the 1945 Pittsburgh Steelers to win by at least ten points without completing a single pass.

A Game in the Pouring Rain

The weather largely explains this unusual performance. Heavy rain fell on Raymond James Stadium for much of the afternoon, making the passing game very difficult. Mayfield even fumbled several snaps, but he recovered them all.

The Buccaneers therefore relied on the run, with remarkable success. They racked up 324 rushing yards on 56 carries, a team record. Bucky Irving was the key to the victory, with 170 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. Kenneth Gainwell added 140 yards on 25 carries, while Mayfield gained 14 yards on four carries.

The defense did the rest. Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. had a nightmare afternoon, completing just eight of 24 passes for 125 yards and throwing four interceptions. Bijan Robinson rushed for 76 yards, but Atlanta's offense never managed to score.

Mayfield, who was returning from a thumb injury, had attempted only 11 passes the previous week in a victory over the Carolina Panthers. In two games, he has completed just seven passes for 64 yards, but the Buccaneers have won both of them.

With this win, Tampa Bay now has a 3-5 record—the same as the Falcons—and is back in the race for first place in the NFC South.

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