TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not complete a pass on Sunday in Tampa and still shut out the Atlanta Falcons 16-0, riding Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell through a steady downpour to a franchise rushing record.
Tampa Bay piled up 324 yards on the ground, well past the old club best of 283, which came in a 45-17 victory over the Eagles in Philadelphia in November 2015. The Bucs are the first NFL team with zero completions in a game since Buffalo on Sept. 29, 1974, which had been the only such game in the Super Bowl era.
Irving carried 27 times for 170 yards and scored the game’s only touchdown on a 4-yard run in the third quarter. Gainwell added 140 yards on 25 carries. Baker Mayfield, playing his second game since returning from a broken thumb, threw three passes and missed on all of them.
Both backs set career highs in carries and rushing yards. They are only the second pair of Tampa Bay runners to each go over 100 yards in the same game, following Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott in a win over Minnesota 28 years ago, and the Bucs became the first team in league history with two backs who each had at least 25 carries and 125 yards in one game.
Kicker Chase McLaughlin hit field goals from 46, 34 and 42 yards and has now made all 19 of his tries this season.
The Tampa Bay defense made life miserable for Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who completed 8 of 24 throws for 125 yards and was picked off four times. Alex Anzalone had two of the interceptions and Jacob Parrish grabbed another on a fourth-down throw. Atlanta star back Bijan Robinson managed just 76 yards rushing on his 19 attempts.
The Bucs improved to 3-5 with three wins in their last four games after an 0-4 start, and sit a half-game behind Carolina in the NFC South. Atlanta also fell to 3-5.
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