In an era with so much passing success, it’s rare for a team to make history by winning a game without passing the ball. However, that is exactly what happened on Sunday.
In rainy conditions at Raymond James Stadium, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 entirely with their defense and running game. Quarterback Baker Mayfield had a final stat line of 0-3 with zero passing yards, making NFL history in the process.
The Buccaneers became the first team in over 50 years to win a game without completing a pass. The last time that happened was 1974, when the Buffalo Bills beat the New York Jets 16-12 without a single completion.
Buccaneers beat Atlanta 16-0 without completing a pass. They are the first NFL team since the 1974 Buffalo Bills to win a game without completing a pass.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 1, 2026
Tampa Bay got out to an early lead thanks to a few field goals, then simply deflated the ball and dared the Falcons to come back in the rain. Atlanta’s offense couldn’t figure out the Buccaneers’ defense, as Michael Penix threw four interceptions in a brutal day.
Here’s a look at the history that Mayfield and the Buccaneers made on Sunday.
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Teams to win game without a completion
The Buccaneers are now the third team in NFL history to win a game without completing a pass. Tampa Bay joins the Buffalo Bills, who did so in 1974, and the Cleveland Browns, who did so all the way back in 1950.
Amazingly, though, those three teams do not have the record for fewest passing yards in a win. That belongs to a different team that actually produced negative passing yards despite winning a game.
Fewest passing yards in a win
| Rank | Date | Team | Opponent | Team passing yards | Final score |
| 1. | Nov. 27, 1955 | Washington | Steelers | -3 | 23-14 |
| T-2. | Nov. 1, 2026 | Buccaneers | Falcons | 0 | 16-0 |
| T-2. | Sep. 29, 1974 | Bills | Jets | 0 | 16-12 |
| T-2. | Dec. 3, 1950 | Browns | Eagles | 0 | 13-7 |
| 5. | Oct. 4, 1981 | Oilers | Bengals | 3 | 17-10 |
As a result of the Buccaneers’ lack of a passing game, Tampa Bay is now tied for the second-fewest passing yards ever for an NFL team in a win, only trailing Washington’s -3 passing yards on November 27, 1955. There were two other times in NFL history in which a team produced zero passing yards in a win, and they were also the other two times that a team won a game without completing a pass.
Every other instance of a team throwing for under 10 yards in a game came at most 45 years ago, as the Oilers’ win over the Bengals in 1981 was the last time this occurred. Prior to this Buccaneers’ win, the fewest passing yards in a victory since the year 2000 came in 2009, when the Browns beat the Bengals 6-3.
Quite simply, the Buccaneers didn’t need to pass the ball when they were so effective on the ground. Tampa Bay had 324 rushing yards, with Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell both totaling at least 140 rushing yards.
@Buccaneers rushing yards: 324 @Buccaneers passing yards: -2 Tampa wins 🏴☠️ https://t.co/TnfK2cGXxe
— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2026
The win gets the Buccaneers back into the NFC South divisional race, as they are one of three teams with three wins in the division.
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