The Atlanta Falcons had an opportunity to take control of the NFC South on Sunday. Instead, they became part of one of the strangest performances in NFL history.

Atlanta suffered a humiliating 16-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium, allowing its division rival to accomplish something that had not happened in more than 52 years. Baker Mayfield completed zero passes, yet Tampa Bay still managed to win by two scores.

According to the FOX broadcast, the last NFL team to win a game without completing a single pass was the 1974 Buffalo Bills, who defeated the New York Jets 16-12. Tampa Bay became the first team since Buffalo to accomplish the unusual feat.

For Atlanta, the historical significance only added to an afternoon filled with missed opportunities and costly mistakes.

The Falcons entered Sunday with a chance to move into first place in the NFC South but struggled to generate anything offensively. Michael Penix Jr. completed just eight of 24 passes for 125 yards and threw four interceptions, including three in the first half.

Atlanta’s running game offered little help, either. Bijan Robinson finished with 76 rushing yards on 19 carries, while the Falcons totaled just 99 yards on the ground.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay ran for a franchise-record 324 yards on 56 carries. Bucky Irving led the way with 170 yards and a touchdown, while Kenneth Gainwell added 140 yards, both career highs.

The Buccaneers essentially abandoned the passing game because of the relentless rain and wind. Mayfield finished 0-for-3, but Tampa Bay’s rushing attack proved more than enough.

For Atlanta, watching an opponent win without completing a pass was particularly frustrating for a defense that entered the afternoon looking to establish itself against the run.

Falcons running back Bijan Robinson acknowledged the difficult conditions following the loss.

“I haven’t played a game like that before. I played in the snow, but not a rain game like that,” Robinson said.

He also recognized that Atlanta failed to execute its own offensive identity.

“We pride ourselves on running the football. We just can’t turn the ball over.”

Penix accepted responsibility for his four interceptions, emphasizing that protecting the football was especially important in the conditions.

“Knowing that the conditions are like that, as a quarterback, the leader, I got to protect the ball. That’s the only way we’re gonna be able to win these games,” Penix said.

Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski also acknowledged that Tampa Bay simply outperformed Atlanta.

“You got to play the game that’s in front of you,” Stefanski said. “We didn’t do a good enough job as a team. So that’s a credit to them, credit to their players, credit to their coaches. They did a better job than we did.”

On the other sideline, Mayfield wasn’t particularly concerned about the historical implications of his performance.

“It’s winning. That’s what I think about it. We won,” Mayfield said.

Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles explained that the weather ultimately dictated the offensive approach.

“We didn’t say we were not going to throw the ball; the conditions told [offensive coordinator Zac Robinson] that,” Bowles said.

The defeat drops Atlanta to 3-5, leaving the Falcons one game out of first place in the loss column in the NFC South. They will have little time to dwell on the disappointing performance, with a trip to Madrid to face the Cincinnati Bengals coming next week.

For a team with legitimate division aspirations, Sunday’s performance was a significant step backward. The Falcons not only failed to capitalize on an opportunity to take control of the division, but also allowed the Buccaneers to pull ahead of them in the division without completing a pass.