TAMPA - Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell combined for 310 rushing yards as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 at Raymond James Stadium in a rain-soaked NFC South matchup, becoming the first NFL team since the 1974 Buffalo Bills to win a game without completing a single pass.

Irving carried a career-high 27 times for 170 yards and a touchdown, while Gainwell added 140 yards on 24 carries - career bests for both backs. The duo became just the second pair in franchise history to each surpass 100 rushing yards in the same game, joining Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn, who accomplished the feat against Minnesota on Nov. 1, 1998, exactly 28 years earlier.

“It’s big time,” said QB Baker Mayfield of the rushing attack against the NFL’s fourth-ranked run defense. “And I think even more so in these conditions when you know you’re running it. For our guys to just truly over the game…you could tell they were feeling it and you wanted to continue to lean on that. I don’t think we had a choice with the weather, but they were ready for it.”

Mayfield, playing without his custom-made glove to protect his right thumb, attempted only three passes and completed none. Two of his three throws were on target but dropped by receivers. He threw just one pass in the second half and took a two-yard sack, producing the unusual final line of 324 rushing yards against just 322 total net yards for Tampa Bay.

“We knew it was going to be a nasty day and what type of conditions it was going to be,” said Head Coach Todd Bowles. “We were worried about ball security, and we took care of it other than the fumble in the end zone. We didn’t say we were not going to throw the ball; the conditions told [Offensive Coordinator Zac Robinson] that. You could see, with the downpour and the wind blowing, you can kind of see that ball wasn’t going anywhere.”

K Chase McLaughlin provided all of Tampa Bay’s first-half scoring with field goals of 46, 34 and 42 yards, and is now a perfect 19 of 19 on field goal attempts and 17 of 17 on extra points this season. The Buccaneers’ only touchdown came late in the third quarter on a drive sparked by Irving’s 46-yard breakaway run, followed by Gainwell’s 28-yard carry to the six-yard line before Irving punched it in on a four-yard burst up the middle.

“O-Line taking over the game,” Mayfield said. “Defense doing the same thing in these conditions. And special teams - Chase perfect in these conditions is big time. Riley [Dixon] had some big punts, pinning them back deep. Just complementary football, doing whatever it takes in these conditions.”

Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix completed just 8 of 24 passes for 125 yards and was intercepted four times, finishing with a 12.0 passer rating. The Falcons managed only 224 total yards, 76 of which came on a single broken-play reception by Jahan Dotson late in the fourth quarter. LB Alex Anzalone intercepted Penix twice in Atlanta territory on the Falcons’ second and third possessions of the game.

“He really did,” Bowles said of Anzalone setting the defensive tone. “He made two great plays, obviously. He’s one of our leaders over there. He’s a captain. You can really see him coming around, getting comfortable in the defense and he set the tone real early.”

CB Jacob Parrish and S Zyon McCollum also recorded interceptions, marking the second consecutive game Tampa Bay forced four turnovers. Parrish, who entered the weekend leading the NFL with 11 passes defensed, tied for the team lead with seven tackles and added two more passes defensed.

The shutout was Tampa Bay’s first since a 9-0 win at Carolina in the 2023 season finale that clinched the division title. The Buccaneers improved to 3-5 overall and 2-0 in division play, tied with Atlanta atop the NFC South. The Panthers fell to 3-4 after a loss in Green Bay, and the idle New Orleans Saints sit at 2-5.

“It’s all about getting hot at the right time and continuing to get better as the season goes on, since it is a long season,” Mayfield said. “We’re continuing to improve and coming together as a team and as a unit. We’re playing more complementary football and playing for each other, which is good to see.”

The Buccaneers return to action in Week Nine.