The Buccaneers continue their return to contention in the NFC South, blanking the Atlanta Falcons 16-0. Tampa Bay's division win was one for the history books: the Bucs became the first NFL team since the Buffalo Bills in 1974 to win a game without completing a pass. The Bucs' rushing attack remained all but unstoppable, racking up a franchise-record 324 rushing yards.
The defense made it possible by turning Atlanta quarterback Michael Penix's nightmares into reality. They picked him off four times, the most he has ever thrown in an NFL game. Tampa Bay's defense also shut down the Falcons' rushing attack, holding Bijan Robinson to 76 yards on 19 attempts and a 4-yard-per-attempt average, his second-lowest of the season.
Here are the studs and
duds from the Bucs' Week 8 win over the Falcons:
STUD: Bucky Irving
For the second game in a row, Bucky Irving was all but unstoppable. He ran 27 times for 170 yards and a touchdown, carrying the Bucs offense on a day in which they attempted just three passes. The rainy weather fueled Irving's heavy workload, and he made the most of his opportunities, setting a new personal best in single-game rushing yards. He is unquestionably the Bucs' most important player and the engine of their offense.
STUD: Kenneth Gainwell
Irving wasn't the only running back to set a personal record in the win over Atlanta. Running back Kenneth Gainwell added 140 rushing yards, more than 40 yards over his previous best. One could be forgiven for confusing Gainwell and Irving, given how they slashed through the Falcons' defense. Per PFF, both gained over 100 yards after contact. While the Bucs continue to lean on Irving to get the run game going, they can rely on Gainwell to finish the game the same way.
STUD: Alex Anzalone
After a slow start to the season, veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone is coming into his own. He set the tone for the defense's takeaway-heavy day, picking off Michael Penix Jr. twice on back-to-back drives. Both times, Anzalone started the play mugged up at the line of scrimmage before dropping into coverage, apparently confusing Penix into throwing right at him. Anzalone's value in coverage has become more apparent in recent weeks as Tampa Bay's pass defense has tightened up over the middle.
STUD: Jacob Parrish
Tampa Bay found another quality cornerback starter in Jacob Parrish. The second-year defensive back was everywhere on defense, leading the team with seven tackles, including a tackle for a loss, two pass breakups, and an interception. He did give up the Falcons' only big pass play of the day, a 76-yard completion to Jahan Dotson. However, he immediately redeemed himself, forcing two incompletions on their next set of downs, including a fourth-down stop. As Parrish continues to put together big performances like this each week, he should start getting more attention league-wide as one of the NFL's top cornerbacks.
STUD: the Bucs offensive line
Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell owe much of their success to Tampa Bay's offensive line and tight end group. Tampa Bay's run blocking was immaculate, opening massive holes in Atlanta's defense, particularly on gap and power runs. They imposed their will on the Falcons, which allowed the Bucs to forgo the pass game entirely on a day when the rain made throwing the ball especially difficult. With Baker Mayfield still recovering from a dislocated thumb, Tampa Bay's offensive line remains the foundation of its offensive success.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Studs and duds from the Bucs' Week 8 win over the Falcons
