Sunday’s game at Raymond James Stadium had everything: a two-hour and 12-minute lightning delay, rain that returned at the two-minute warning, and a finish that came down to a single throw. Deshaun Watson went 24 of 30 for 238 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers, and his 17-yard strike to Blake Whiteheart in the fourth quarter gave Cleveland a 23-19 win over the Buccaneers.
The matchup carried plenty of local history, since Cleveland traded Baker Mayfield away to bring in Watson back in 2022. Mayfield finished with a late chance to steal it, but his fourth-down pass to Emeka Egbuka in the end zone fell incomplete. The loss drops Tampa Bay to 0-2, while the Browns even their record at 1-1. Both kickers were flawless, with Chase McLaughlin and Andre Szmyt combining to go 7-for-7 on field goals.
For the Bucs, the focus now shifts to fixing mistakes before the season gets away from them. Mayfield said as much afterward, calling for the team to be self-critical and stop repeating the same errors. Meanwhile, Cleveland’s win doesn’t fully quiet its own quarterback questions, with Shedeur Sanders waiting behind Watson on the depth chart.
Do you think the Bucs can turn this season around after an 0-2 start? Let us know in the comments.
