The Tampa Bay Buccaneers just pulled off an unbelievable win, beating the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 without completing a single pass.
The Bucs are now just a half game out of first place in the NFC South, and own head-to-head wins over the Falcons and Panthers.
It wasn’t a normal game by any means. But all that matters is that Tampa Bay found a way to get in the win column in a defensive slugfest in the pouring rain. Here are 5 instant reactions after the Buccaneers’ crucial divisional victory.
5 immediate takeaways after Buccaneers' 16-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons
1. Just a week after completing just seven passes for 64 yards, Baker Mayfield finished today 0-for-3 with zero passing yards. It didn’t matter. The Buccaneers became just the second team of the Super Bowl era, joining the 1974 Buffalo Bills, to finish a game with zero completions, and yet they dominanted for the entire four quarters anyway.
2. Bucky Irving and the rushing attack continue to power this offense. Tampa Bay rushed for a franchise-record 324 yards, led by Irving's 170 yards and Kenny Gainwell's 140 yards on the ground for the best game of his career. In all three of the Buccaneers’ wins this season, they’ve eclipsed 240 total rushing yards in each contest. This is a smashmouth, physical offense that is simply imposing their will on opponents.
3. Todd Bowles’ defense continues to cement themselves as an elite unit. Entering Week 8, the Falcons were scoring 31 points per game with Michael Penix Jr. as the starting quarterback, good for second in the NFL. Penix had nine passing touchdowns and one interception on the season — until he met the Bucs defense. Tampa Bay pitched a shutout and intercepted Penix four times, making them look like a JV team. This defense is for real.
4. Chase McLaughlin stayed perfect on the season, going three-for-three on field goals and making his only extra point attempt in the wind and pouring rain. Don’t take that excellence for granted. Falcons kicker Nick Folk proved how difficult it is to kick in these conditions when his only field goal attempt of the day came nowhere close. The Buccaneers have the best kicker in the NFL.
5. Riley Dixon had his best game as a Buccaneer. He had a shaky start with a 29-yard punt, but he later bounced back with three excellent punts, pinning the Falcons at the 2-yard line, the 7-yard line, and the 12-yard line, respectively. In a defensive slugfest like this, field position is king. The torrential rain seemed to somehow power Dixon up, as he consistently flipped the field and gave the Buccaneers' defense a chance to make life miserable for Atlanta.
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