The Buccaneers found a little rhythm, then lost it, then found it again - only to let the game slip away in the storm.
Tampa Bay’s home opener against the Cleveland Browns had all the ingredients for a reset, but it ended with the Bucs dropping to 0-2 after a messy 23-19 defeat at Raymond James Stadium. Baker Mayfield faced his former team, Tampa Bay briefly looked like the offense fans expected to see, and then the defense and a late weather delay helped turn a winnable game into another painful finish.
The night started with both offenses feeling each other out, and the Browns opened by going nowhere after an odd third-and-long handoff that ended in a punt. Tampa Bay answered with a Chase McLaughlin field goal for a 3-0 lead, but Cleveland quickly tied it on a Deshaun Watson field goal drive. After the Bucs added another three points, Mayfield’s first interception of the year opened the door for more Browns points and kept the game tight early.
The second quarter never really gave either side much separation. Cleveland got into the red zone but settled for three, and Tampa Bay went back in front with a short field goal after Todd Monken made a bold fourth-and-one call deep in his own territory. The gamble failed when the Browns ran straight up the middle and came up empty, leaving the Bucs to work with a short field and squeeze out a 9-6 halftime edge.
Then Tampa Bay finally looked alive.
The opening drive of the second half was the Bucs’ best of the season. They mixed play-action, used the run game, and got the ball to their playmakers.
Bucky Irving was involved, Baker Mayfield even showed up as a blocker, Chris Godwin helped move the chains on a play-action crosser, and Emeka Egbuka finished the series with his first touchdown of the 2026 season. Tampa Bay also got a trademark Mayfield third-down scramble on the way to a 16-6 lead.
But the Browns answered, and the game flipped right back. A pair of kicks brought Cleveland within seven, then Watson turned in one of his best moments as a Brown, hitting Denzel Boston for a touchdown that tied it at 16-16. The score came with what was unofficially Alex Anzalone 78th missed tackle of the season and officially his second in the final three plays of the drive.
Tampa Bay regained the lead in the fourth quarter when Mayfield finally connected on a deep shot. Tez Johnson went up and made a diving catch through Cleveland’s secondary, setting up McLaughlin for another field goal and a 19-16 advantage.
That should have been enough to close it out. It wasn’t.
Cleveland punched back for six more points against a Tampa Bay defense that has been a problem through two weeks. The Browns, despite all the noise around their own quarterback situation, handed Todd Bowles’ unit another damaging fourth-quarter collapse and pushed the Bucs into a 23-19 hole.
The Buccaneers still had a chance. Then the weather changed everything.
As Tampa Bay tried to mount one last answer, Raymond James Stadium was evacuated because of a storm and the game went into a weather delay. Nearly two hours later, the teams returned to a drenched field and the Bucs picked up where they had left off with a Bucky Irving first down and a quick slant to Ted Hurst III.
But the momentum vanished in a hurry when Hurst III bobbled and dropped a throw that could have become the game-winning touchdown. From there, a Mayfield scramble and another incompletion finished off the chance, and Tampa Bay walked away 0-2.
In Other News...
Bucs Usage After That Loss Raises One Big Offensive Concern
The snap counts from Tampa Bays loss to Cleveland offered a revealing look at how the Buccaneers tried to piece together their offense, and it started with the passing game. Jalen McMillan saw a limited workload, while Ted Hurst III was asked to carry more of the load and ended up with a costly drop that stood out in a game where the Bucs never quite found the right rhythm.
Bucky Irving again looked like the most important piece of the offense, out-snapping Kenny Gainwell and handling the bulk of the backfield work. On the other side of the ball, David Walker made the most of limited opportunities with his first career sack, but the bigger takeaway for Tampa Bay was how uneven the offensive usage looked in a loss that raised questions about where the production is supposed to come from next. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Fans Already Feel The Void Lavonte David Left
Through two games, Alex Anzalone has held the Buccaneers starting linebacker role and worn the helmet that comes with calling the defense, but the early returns have been rough. His work in coverage and as a tackler has left Tampa Bay without much stability in the middle, and the roster doesnt offer an obvious immediate upgrade as the team tries to settle that spot.
The bigger issue is the shadow left by Lavonte David, whose retirement this offseason ended a 14-year run in Tampa Bay and removed a player who had long been both a leader and a tone-setter. Rookie Josiah Trotter has already made more tackles than Anzalone, which only sharpens the contrast as the Buccaneers look for someone to replace not just the production, but the presence David brought to the defense. [Read more 🡒]
Buccaneers Draw A Much Tougher Vikings QB Test Than Expected
A week after the matchup started looking like it might come with a different quarterback story, the Buccaneers now have a clearer picture of what awaits in Week 3. Vikings head coach Kevin OConnell confirmed that Kyler Murray has cleared concussion protocol and will start against Tampa Bay, with Carson Wentz staying in the backup role. It gives the Bucs a far different challenge than they were preparing for, especially with Minnesota still carrying the edge in the betting line.
For Tampa Bay, the bigger wrinkle is not just the name under center, but the uncertainty hanging over what comes next. Murrays return gives Minnesota a more dynamic look right away, while the possibility that his status beyond this week is still unsettled only adds another layer to the matchup. However the Vikings handle their quarterback situation after Sunday, the Buccaneers are getting a sturdier test than they may have expected when the week began. [Read more 🡒]