Buccaneers Shut Out Falcons to Take NFC South Lead

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5) created four turnovers and rushed for more than 250 yards as a team for the second straight game to roll to their second consecutive win against the Atlanta Falcons (3-5), 16-0, through a downpour on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

In their first home win of the season, quarterback Baker Mayfield attempted just three passes and had zero completions in the rainy conditions, but running backs Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell combined for 310 yards on the ground. Irving set a career high with 170 yards on 27 carries and scored the game’s only touchdown in the third quarter. Gainwell also set a career high in rushing yards with 140 on 25 carries.

The Buccaneers improved to 2-0 in the NFC South Division and are in first place after the Carolina Panthers lost on Thursday.

Playing in a downpour through the first half, the two teams got off to a sloppy start.

After Nick Folk missed a 53-yard field goal on the Falcons’ first drive of the game, Chase McLaughlin answered on the Buccaneers’ first drive of the game with a 46-yard field goal with 7:47 left in the first quarter to give Tampa Bay a 3-0 lead. 

The rain then started causing problems for both teams. On the first snap of the Falcons’ ensuing drive, linebacker Alex Anzalone stepped in front of a Michael Penix Jr. pass intended for London for the first turnover of the game. 

After a personal foul penalty gave the Buccaneers the ball at the Atlanta 16, Mayfield fumbled the snap on second-and-7, but was able to pick up the ball and run toward the end zone. As several Falcons defenders converged, Mayfield lateralled the ball to Irving who looked as if he would score. Instead, safety Jessie Bates punched the ball out of Irving’s hands at the 1-yard-line and the ball rolled out of bounds through the end zone, resulting in an Atlanta touchback.

Three plays later on third-and-10, Anzalone stepped in front of a pass intended for receiver Jahan Dotson for his second interception of the game with 5:36 left in the first quarter. The Buccaneers capitalized on the turnover on a 34-yard field goal by McLaughlin to make it 6-0 with 4:06 left in the first quarter.

After trading punts, cornerback Jacob Parrish gave Tampa Bay its third turnover of the game after intercepting a Penix pass at the Buccaneers’ 17 with 12:39 left in the second quarter. Behind the running of Irving, the Buccaneers went on a 13-play drive that ate up nearly nine minutes, ending with a 46-yard field goal by McLaughlin to extend the lead to 9-0 with 4:04 left in the first half. 

Mayfield didn’t complete a pass in the first half on two attempts, while Penix was 2-of-10 passing with three interceptions. Irving had 107 of the team’s 146 rushing yards in the first half.

Although the rain significantly subsided in the second half, the first four drives by both teams ended in punts. 

Toward the end of the third quarter, Irving made up for his previous fumble by scoring a touchdown from four yards out with 3:47 left for the final points of the game. The Buccaneers would add a fourth interception of Penix after cornerback Zyon McCollum picked off a pass at the Tampa Bay 14 with 13:29 left in the game.

Along with the turnovers, the Tampa Bay defense held the Falcons to 0-12 on third down and held running back Bijan Robinson to 76 yards rushing on 19 carries.

The Buccaneers will take on the Chicago Bears on Nov. 8 before going on their bye in Week 10.