The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just steamrolled the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 in a game that was way less close than the score suggests, and get this: they did it without completing a single pass! Yeah, you read that right. Baker Mayfield went 0-for-3, yet the Bucs still put up double digits and shut out a division rival. This isn’t just a weird stat line, folks. They became the first team since 1974 to win without completing a pass, and the first since 1945 to even score double-digits in such a victory. This is wild in the year of our lord 2026.
The Ground Game Is Their Only Game (For Now)
This pass-less performance comes after a week where they *also* barely needed to throw the ball. Last week, Mayfield was 7-of-11 for 64 yards and a touchdown. That means over eight quarters, these guys have thrown fewer than 15 passes for under 75 yards. It’s truly old school, living and dying by an opportunistic defense and a ground-shaking run game. And it’s working! They picked off Michael Penix Jr. four times, which is just insane, and set a franchise record with a mind-boggling 324 yards rushing. Heading into Week 7, the Bucs had roughly a 1% chance to make the playoffs, needing two straight division wins to even be in the conversation. Well, after rolling the Carolina Panthers and now the Falcons, they’re fully back in the fight. You gotta hand it to them, especially after so many close losses could’ve totally torpedoed their confidence.
Irving and Gainwell Are Absolutely Electric
If the Bucs are the NFL’s premier rushing attack over the last two weeks, you know who to thank: Zac Robinson. Their offensive coordinator has been leaning into this run-heavy approach in a seriously diverse way, mixing up outside zone, inside zone, gap blocking schemes, and even different formations and wrinkles. All three tight ends, Cade Otton, Payne Durham, and Bauer Sharp, have absolutely feasted out there, and the entire offensive line has been straight up dominant.
But the real stars churning out those historic yards? Running backs Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell. Irving had a career-high day, slashing the Falcons for 170 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. He ripped off multiple explosives, including a 46-yard burst, and averaged a whopping 46-yarder on those big plays! The dude has led the league in rushing over the last four weeks and looks completely back to his rookie form. His running mate, Kenny Gainwell, closed out the game with absolute swagger. Handling the majority of the carries in the fourth quarter, Gainwell smashed Atlanta for 140 yards on 25 carries, completely erasing any chance of a comeback. After a slow start to the season, Gainwell is seriously gelling as their RB2.
This old-school approach has brought the Bucs back from the brink, but they’ve got a dynamic Bears offense coming up next week. Will they finally have to utilize the forward pass to keep pace? We’re all gonna be watching to see how long they can keep this run-only magic going.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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