The Tampa Bay Buccaneers came together as a team on Sunday to grind out one of the ugliest wins you’ll ever see in the modern NFL. The wind was blowing, and the rain was coming down in buckets.
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The Bucs offense decided to keep it on the ground and take their chances in the mud rather than airing it out in a downpour. The approach was a successful one. It was also an historic one for the franchise.
Jessie Bates III of the Atlanta Falcons strips the ball from Bucky Irving of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, resulting in a touchback during the first half at Raymond James Stadium on Nov. 1, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (Getty Images)
They set a new franchise single-game rushing record with 324 yards on the ground. Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell each ran for more than 140 yards. Baker Mayfield’s role was to hand the ball off.
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He didn’t complete a single pass on just three attempts in the 16-0 win over the Atlanta Falcons. A feat that hasn’t taken place since the Buffalo Bills did it all the way back in 1974.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is introduced before the regular season game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 1, 2026, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Falcons took their chances passing and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was only able to complete 8 of his 24 attempts for 125 yards. The Bucs defense picked him off four times while keeping Atlanta out of the end zone.
It was an all around gritty performance by the Bucs that extended to the sideline where the cheerleaders didn’t let the rain slow them down. They didn’t reach for the rain gear.
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders performed in the rain and the mud like the rest of the team. Unlike the offense, they were still able to get it done through the air too.
That is what you call sticking together as a team. They could have headed for cover, but they had a job to do. They stuck it out, battled the elements, and helped gut out an ugly, much-needed win at home.
It’s easy to go out there and take the field when it’s sunny and 85 in Tampa. It’s a lot harder to do it in the middle of a downpour.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders perform during the game against the New Orleans Saints at Raymond James Stadium on Dec. 7, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (Getty Images)
But they didn’t blink on Sunday and won their second game in a row.
After a 1-5 start, the Bucs are suddenly 3-5 with back-to-back wins over division opponents and are a game back of first place in the loss column.