Without Completing a Pass, Buccaneers Become First Team in 52 Years to Win an NFL Game
A rare NFL victory
The Buccaneers’ win was the first in 52 years by an NFL team that completed no passes. The only other such victory in the Super Bowl era came in 1974, when the Buffalo Bills beat the Baltimore Colts; the teams combined for eight completions.
Tampa Bay also became the first team since the 1945 Pittsburgh Steelers to win by double digits without completing a pass. The Steelers shut out the Chicago Cardinals 23-0.
Rushing carried Tampa Bay
Irving rushed for 170 yards on 27 carries, and Gainwell added 140 yards on 25 carries. The Buccaneers finished with negative net passing yards. The last team to rush for more than 300 yards while recording negative net passing yards was Washington in 1955.
Atlanta threw eight completions
Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr. accounted for all eight completions in the game. He threw four interceptions and passed for 125 yards.
Key points
- Tampa Bay won without completing a pass, the first such NFL victory in 52 years.
- Irving rushed for 170 yards, and Gainwell gained 140 on the ground.
- The Buccaneers won by double digits without a completion for the first time since 1945.
- Michael Penix Jr. threw all eight completions and four interceptions.