
Monday, 4 a.m.
What's the big deal about this new-fangled thing called the forward pass?
And it is it really necessary?
The Tampa Bay Bucs stampeted their way into a first-place tie Sunday, literally running over the Atlanta Falcons, winning 16-0 at Raymond James Stadium.
Bucky Irving had a career-high 170 yards, and teammate Kenny Gainwell had his first 100-yard day with 140 more. In all, the Bucs ran for a staggrreing 324 yards against what had beeen the fourth-best rushing defense in the NFL.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield didn't complete a pass, thowing three incompletions and running four times. It was the first time since 1974 an NFL team has won without completing a pass.
"Listen, I will do whatever it takes to win," said Mayfield, who has thrown only 14 times in the last two weeks.
The Bucs' defense, meanwhile, intercepted Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix Jr. -- who went to high school in Tampa -- four times and allowed him to complete only one-third of his 24 passes.
Irving has 457 yards rushing over his last four games. His day could have been better had he not had the ball strippped from his just before he reached the end zone.
The heavy rains affected both teams. Perhaps that helps to explain why linebacker Alex Anzalone had two intercpetions and Zyon McCollum and Jacob Parrish each had one.
"I didn't say we were not going to throw the ball -- the conditions told (Zak Robinson) that," Bucs' coach Todd Bowles said. "You could see it. It's a downpour and wind was blowing. You could kind of see the ball wasn't going anywhere."
Special teams also played well. Kicker Chase McLaughlin hit three field goals and punter Riley Dixon averaged 47.1 yards on his six punts and kicked four of them inside the 20.
Tampa Bay travels to Chicago to play the Bears on Sunday night at 8:20 at Soldier Field.


