Buccaneers don't complete a pass, beat Falcons 16-0 anyway

Published November 1, 2026 03:51 PM The Buccaneers did something today that hadn’t been done in the NFL in more than half a century: They played an entire game without completing a pass.Amazingly, the Buccaneers beat the Falcons anyway.Baker Mayfield was 0-for-3 passing, but Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell both had more than 100 yards rushing, and the Buccaneers won 16-0 on a rainy, sloppy day in Tampa Bay.The last NFL team to play an entire game without completing a pass was the 1974 Bills, who also won when they did it, beating the Jets 16-12 on a day when O.J. Simpson ran for 117 yards.The Buccaneers were helped by an ugly game from Falcons quarterback Michael Penix, who went 8-for-24 for 125 yards, with no touchdowns and four interceptions. Falcons running back Bijan Robinson struggled to get his footing in the bad weather and finished with 76 yards on 19 carries.The game leaves both the Buccaneers and the Falcons at 3-5 on the season, and both in the mix in the wide-open NFC South. If the Buccaneers’ defense and running game can keep playing like they did today, the Bucs may be a playoff team. But they’re going to need Mayfield to complete some passes.