The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off an improbable 16-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons on the backs of a dominant running game and an elite defensive performance.
Baker Mayfield attempted just three passes in 60 offensive plays, and went the entire game without completing one. The Buccaneers became just the second team in the Super Bowl era to go an entire game without completing a pass, joining the 1974 Buffalo Bills.
Still, that didn’t stop Tampa Bay from putting forth an impressive offensive performance, with Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell leading the way on the ground.
Buccaneers are embracing their identity as a run-first offense
Mayfield’s zero-completion day comes just a week after attempting only 11 passes in a dominant win over the Panthers.
It’s yet another step in the Buccaneers embracing their identity as a run-first offense.
Last week, Tampa Bay rushed for 258 yards on 49 attempts for an impressive 5.3 yards per carry.
This week, they set a franchise record with 324 rushing yards on 56 carries, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt.
Irving rushed for 170 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries, while Gainwell rushed for 140 yards on 25 carries.
To make that performance even more impressive, the Falcons entered Week 8 as the NFL’s No. 4 rushing defense, allowing just 89 yards per game. Atlanta had been dominant against the run, but that didn’t matter against the Buccaneers’ rushing attack.
Tampa Bay has been playing straight bully ball, winning the battle in the trenches and imposing their will on opposing defenses. The offensive line and tight ends are simply more physical than the defenders lined up across from them, and they’re simply stealing the souls of anyone who gets in their way.
That dominant run game is complemented by an elite defense, giving Tampa Bay a winning formula that, when executed, is becoming increasingly difficult for opponents to compete with.
Baker Mayfield isn’t making much of an impact, and that’s okay
While the Buccaneers would certainly like to see their $55 million quarterback make more of an impact through the air, Mayfield is simply doing what the game requires to win. He’s avoided turnovers in back to back weeks, and helped guide Tampa Bay to consecutive divisional victories without needing to carry the offense on his shoulders after coming back from injury.
As long as the Buccaneers keep getting in the win column, they don’t care how they get there. Even if it means being the first team in 54 years to go an entire game without completing a pass.
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