Buccaneers beat Falcons 16-0 without a completed pass as Penix throws four interceptions
Tampa Bay beat Atlanta 16-0 in heavy rain, rushing for 324 yards without completing a pass, while Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw three first-half interceptions and four in all.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2The Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Atlanta Falcons 16-0 in an NFC South game on Sunday 1 November 2026, in heavy rain at Raymond James Stadium. NewsweekN “The Tampa Bay Buccaneers shut out the Atlanta Falcons by winning 16-0 in the NFC South showdown on Sunday.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Fox NewsR “a 16-0 victory where they set a new club rushing mark of 324 yards” Read at Fox News ↗ Centre · 1Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw three interceptions in the first half: two to linebacker Alex Anzalone and one to cornerback Jacob Parrish, according to Newsweek. NewsweekN “Penix threw an interception to Bucs linebacker Alex Anzalone.”“Penix threw his third interception of the game, this time to cornerback Jacob Parrish.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Penix completed only two passes in the first half, for 19 and 5 yards, and had eight incompletions, so he threw more interceptions than he completed passes in that half. NewsweekN “Penix ended up throwing more interceptions (three) than completed passes (two) in the first half. He threw eight incompletions.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Centre · 1Newsweek reported that a fourth interception came in the fourth quarter, to Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum. Before Sunday, Penix had thrown one interception this season, and Newsweek said the game took the total to five. NewsweekN “The quarterback threw his fourth interception in the fourth quarter to Bucs cornerback Zyon McCollum.”“Coming into Sunday's matchup, he'd only thrown one interception this season.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Mixed · 2For the game Penix completed eight of 24 passes, with four interceptions. Newsweek added that Penix fumbled once and that the eight completions covered 125 yards. NewsweekN “Penix only completed eight of the 24 pass attempts he threw. Those eight catches totaled 125 receiving yards for the Falcons.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Fox NewsR “Michael Penix Jr. completed only eight of his 24 attempts, throwing four interceptions.” Read at Fox News ↗ Mixed · 2Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield attempted three passes and completed none, so Tampa Bay won without a completed pass. Newsweek, citing ESPN's Adam Schefter, and Fox News, citing the Associated Press, both said this was the first such win since the Buffalo Bills in 1974. NewsweekN “This is the first time an NFL team won by completing zero passes since 1974 when the Buffalo Bills did so, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Fox NewsR “The last and only other time a team failed to complete a pass in a game since the NFL began playing Super Bowls was on Sept. 29, 1974 by the Buffalo Bills, according to the Associated Press.” Read at Fox News ↗
Centre · 1Tampa Bay ran for 324 yards: Bucky Irving had 170 yards on 27 carries and the team's only touchdown, Kenneth Gainwell had 140 yards, and Mayfield added 14. Kicker Chase McLaughlin made three field goals. NewsweekN “Running back Bucky Irving led the team with 170 yards on 27 carries while scoring Tampa Bay's lone touchdown.”“The rest of the Buccaneers' points came from the three field goals kicker Chase McLaughlin made.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Right · 1Coach Todd Bowles said the weather dictated the approach: "The conditions told him that... you could see it as a downpour down there and the wind's blowing." Mayfield said, "if you're not going to throw the ball, I got to get active somehow." Fox NewsR “"The conditions told him that," Bowles said.”“"You know, if you're not going to throw the ball, I got to get active somehow," he said.” Read at Fox News ↗ Mixed · 2Newsweek's piece on Penix argued that the Falcons, described as 3-4 on the season, should consider a change at quarterback. Fox News said the win gives the Bucs renewed life in the NFC South. NewsweekN “Something needs to reset with Penix moving forward.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Fox NewsR “they have renewed life in the NFC South” Read at Fox News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Newsweek ran two pieces, one a critique of Penix's first half and one on the historic no-completion win, both with an explanatory tone.
- Emphasis
- Penix's interception tally and completions, the 1974 precedent, the rushing numbers and the rain.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not quote Bowles or Mayfield on the conditions.
- Charged language
- “Disastrous”“struggled majorly”“miraculous win”
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Fox News (OutKick) presents the game as a quirky, humorous throwback in the mud, with the Bucs having the last laugh.
- Emphasis
- Quotes from Bowles, Mayfield and Irving, the weather and the Bills 1974 comparison; Penix's interceptions get one sentence.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not detail Penix's first-half interceptions or who intercepted him.
- Charged language
- “three yards and a cloud of dust”“went bonkers”“surreal stuff”
What every side reports
- Tampa Bay beat Atlanta 16-0.
- Baker Mayfield attempted three passes with no completions.
- Michael Penix Jr. completed eight of 24 passes and threw four interceptions.
- Tampa Bay rushed for 324 yards, led by Bucky Irving's 170.
- It was the first win without a completed pass since the 1974 Buffalo Bills.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the Bucs' approach was just a response to the weather
- Centre
- Newsweek says the rain is probably why the Bucs ran more than they threw.
- Right
- Fox News quotes Bowles on the conditions but suggests the Bucs might have been more productive had they tried a pass in the second half.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers organisation
Coach Todd Bowles said the rain and wind dictated the run-heavy plan, and players treated it as part of the game.
“"The conditions told him that," Bowles said.” — Fox News
“"Rain, snow, muddy, you're going to have to play in it anyway."” — Fox News
Baker Mayfield person
Mayfield, who attempted three passes with no completions, joked with reporters and said he had to get active in other ways.
“"All right, let's get this over with because you don't want to talk to me," Mayfield told reporters” — Fox News
Michael Penix Jr. person
Penix is described through coverage rather than his own words; Newsweek says the interceptions made it an unusual game for the quarterback.
“This wasn't a normal game for Penix.” — Newsweek
Centre3 articles
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Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr Had Disastrous First Half vs Buccaneers
Critical Drive-by-drive account of Penix's poor first half, ending with a call for the Falcons to consider a quarterback change.
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Buccaneers Beat Falcons Without Any Completed Passes
Neutral Explains the 16-0 win without completions, with stats and the weather as the likely reason.
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Right1 article
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Celebratory Light, colourful column on the Bucs' muddy rushing win, with player and coach quotes and the 1974 precedent.
- 1 Nov 20:53 First NewsweekN Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr Had Disastrous First Half vs Buccaneers
- 1 Nov 21:37 +44m NewsweekN Buccaneers Beat Falcons Without Any Completed Passes
- 1 Nov 22:32 +1h 39m Fox NewsR Tampa Bay Buccaneers win NFL game without completing a pass, first time that's happened in half a century
- 1 Nov 23:30 +2h 37m NBC NewsLC An NFL team just won a game without completing a pass. No, seriously.
- 2 Nov 00:30 +3h 37m NewsweekN Michael Penix Jr. Makes Promise After Nightmare Game vs. Buccaneers
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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