In 1974, the Buffalo Bills won an NFL game without completing a pass; 52 years later, Baker Mayfield's Buccaneers repeated the feat in a 16-0 victory

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off an unusual NFL feat on Sunday, November 1. They beat the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 without completing a single pass. Baker Mayfield went 0-for-3, but his team found enough offense on the ground to secure its second straight win. It was the first time in 52 years that an NFL team had won without recording a completion. The last team to do it was the Buffalo Bills in 1974.Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell led Tampa Bay's attack at Raymond James Stadium. Their career-high rushing performances helped the Buccaneers control a rain-soaked divisional matchup. Meanwhile, the defense made sure Atlanta never found its way onto the scoreboard.Baker Mayfield's Buccaneers use 324 rushing yards to shut out FalconsHeavy rain and strong winds made passing difficult throughout Sunday's game. Tampa Bay quickly recognised the conditions and adjusted its offensive approach. Instead of asking Mayfield to force throws through the weather, the Buccaneers kept attacking on the ground.Mayfield attempted just two passes in the first half and one after the break. His first attempt came with 7:53 remaining in the opening quarter. It nearly turned into a 28-yard touchdown, but receiver Ted Hurst dropped the ball. Mayfield attempted another pass later in the quarter before making his final attempt early in the third period.There was little reason to keep throwing. Tampa Bay was finding plenty of room against Atlanta's defense, and its running backs continued to produce big plays.Bucky Irving finished with a career-high 170 rushing yards on 27 carries. Kenneth Gainwell also recorded a career best, adding 140 yards on 25 attempts. Together, the two running backs produced 310 yards, while Mayfield contributed another 14 rushing yards.Their biggest contribution came on Tampa Bay's lone touchdown drive. Irving broke away for a 46-yard run, while Gainwell added a 28-yard gain. The two combined for 90 yards on six carries during the drive before Irving finished it with a four-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.Chase McLaughlin handled the other scoring opportunities. The kicker converted three field goals from 46, 34 and 42 yards to help Tampa Bay build its 16-point lead.The Buccaneers finished with 324 rushing yards, setting a new franchise single-game record. They also recorded negative net passing yards, making the performance even more unusual. It was a remarkable turnaround for an offense that had managed only 64 passing yards in its previous victory.Mayfield focused on managing the offense rather than worrying about his passing numbers. Tampa Bay also used shotgun and pistol formations to make handling the ball easier in the wet conditions."It's winning -- that's the way I think about it. We won," Mayfield said after Sunday's game, according to the Buccaneers' postgame interview. He also made his approach clear, adding, "I will do whatever it takes to win. That's all that matters to me."Buffalo Bills last achieved the rare NFL feat in 1974 as Falcons struggleWhile Tampa Bay's running game did most of the offensive work, its defense made sure the Falcons could not recover. Michael Penix Jr. struggled throughout the afternoon and threw four interceptions. He finished with eight completions for 125 yards, with three of his interceptions coming in the first half.Atlanta's passing problems made the game even harder to manage. Penix did not record more completions than interceptions until midway through the third quarter. The Falcons could not establish a passing rhythm, while Tampa Bay continued to control the game through its ground attack.The two teams combined for only eight completions. That was the fewest in an NFL game since December 17, 1978, when the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Colts also combined for eight.The historical comparison goes back to September 29, 1974. On that day, the Buffalo Bills defeated the Baltimore Colts 16-12 without completing a pass. Quarterback Joe Ferguson attempted only two passes, and both fell incomplete. Buffalo relied on its rushing attack, with Ferguson and Jim Braxton scoring touchdowns on the ground.More than five decades later, Tampa Bay became the second team in the Super Bowl era to win without a completion. The Buccaneers also became the first team since the 1945 Pittsburgh Steelers to win by at least 10 points without completing a pass. Pittsburgh had shut out the Chicago Cardinals 23-0.Sunday's performance also continued an impressive run for Tampa Bay's rushing attack. The Buccaneers have recorded 925 rushing yards over their last four games, the most in a four-game stretch in franchise history. Irving and Gainwell have given the offense another way to move the ball, even when Mayfield cannot find his receivers.The 16-0 victory moved Tampa Bay to 3-5 and gave the team back-to-back divisional wins after its previous victory over the Carolina Panthers. The Buccaneers are now level with Atlanta in the NFC South win column, keeping themselves in the division race despite their losing record.Speaking after Sunday's victory, head coach Todd Bowles acknowledged that his team still had plenty of work ahead. According to the Buccaneers' postgame transcript, he said, "I told them to keep their shovels close because we have a lot more digging to do, but it gets us back in it."Mayfield will likely have to return to a bigger passing role in the coming weeks. However, against Atlanta, Tampa Bay showed that its running game and defense could carry the offense when the weather made throwing nearly impossible.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.