Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
8-6
42
FINAL
35
Atlanta
Falcons
9-5
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling Week 16 showdown, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers outlasted the Atlanta Falcons with a final score of 42-35, solidifying their playoff aspirations in the 2026 season. Both teams fought hard, but the Buccaneers managed to pull ahead in a high-scoring matchup that kept fans on the edge of their seats.
Baker Mayfield was the star of the night for Tampa Bay, throwing for an impressive 474 yards and six touchdowns, showcasing his ability to dissect the Falcons' defense. Bucky Irving was a standout target, racking up 196 receiving yards, while Bijan Robinson led the Falcons on the ground with 102 rushing yards, but it wasn't enough to secure a victory.
Defensively, the Buccaneers made key plays that contributed to their success, including a pivotal interception by Antoine Winfield Jr. that shifted momentum late in the game. Elijah Roberts also provided pressure with a sack, helping to disrupt the Falcons' offensive rhythm. As the clock wound down, Tampa Bay's ability to make critical defensive stops ultimately sealed the victory for the Buccaneers.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 42 | 26 | 62% | 474 | 6 | 1 | 130.3 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 26 | 20 | 77% | 330 | 4 | 1 | 141.8 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 22 | 102 | 4.6 | 24 | 1 | 16 | 0 |
| Bucky Irving | HB | 10 | 36 | 3.6 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Michael Penix Jr | QB | 1 | 26 | 26.0 | — | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Ted Hurst III | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucky Irving | HB | 9 | 196 | 21.8 | 90 | 3 | 47 | 0 |
| Ted Hurst III | WR | 6 | 132 | 22.0 | 33 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
| Bijan Robinson | HB | 9 | 116 | 12.9 | 96 | 1 | 27 | 0 |
| Zachariah Branch | WR | 4 | 96 | 24.0 | 23 | 2 | 30 | 0 |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 7 | 86 | 12.3 | 59 | 2 | 34 | 0 |
| Drake London | WR | 3 | 70 | 23.3 | 30 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| Kyle Pitts Sr | TE | 2 | 46 | 23.0 | 31 | 1 | 25 | 0 |
| Josh Whyle | TE | 2 | 40 | 20.0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| Jalin Hyatt | WR | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 11 | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| Austin Hooper | TE | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Olamide Zaccheaus | WR | 1 | -4 | -4.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divine Deablo | MIKE | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Jessie Bates III | FS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Antoine Winfield Jr | FS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| SirVocea Dennis | MIKE | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keionte Scott | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elijah Roberts | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yasir Abdullah | SAM | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A.J. Terrell Jr | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Christian Harris | MIKE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalon Walker | LEDG | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josiah Trotter | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Yaya Diaby | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pearce Jr | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vita Vea | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Parrish | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Xavier Watts | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Rueben Bain Jr. | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tykee Smith | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calijah Kancey | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Anzalone | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harold Perkins Jr. | WILL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Troy Andersen | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Avieon Terrell | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Benjamin Morrison | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Al-Quadin Muhammad | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sydney Brown | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zyon McCollum | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Folk | K | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Chase McLaughlin | K | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 |

