In a wild, weather-impacted battle at Raymond James Stadium, the Cleveland Browns flipped the script on their season with a gritty 23-19 comeback victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A lightning delay that halted play for two hours and 12 minutes added unexpected drama, but Cleveland's second-half surge proved decisive as they scored touchdowns on two of their final four possessions to steal a road win despite losing the overall yardage total.
Studs
WR Denzel Boston
Stat Line: 5 receptions, 95 yards, 1 TD
Boston was the catalyst that ignited Cleveland's dormant passing game, providing explosive, game-changing plays when the offense desperately needed a spark. Late in the third quarter, the rookie wideout evaded a Buccaneers defensive back and blew open
the game with a electric 55-yard touchdown catch-and-run that tied the contest at 16–16.
Denzel Boston is the fifth @NFL receiver since 2003 w/ 50+ receiving yards & a receiving TD in EACH of their first two career games:
— Luke Potosky (@LukePotosky) September 20, 2026
• DENZEL BOSTON (2026)
• Jordan Addison (2023)
• Ja’Marr Chase (2021)
• Terry McLaurin (2019)
• Calvin Johnson (2007) pic.twitter.com/dExeEimvt6
Boston consistently separated against Tampa Bay's perimeter cornerbacks, finishing as the game's leading receiver and solidifying his role as the centerpiece of this receiving core.
QB Deshaun Watson
Stat Line: 24/30 passing, 238 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, 121.9 passer rating
Shaking off a miserable first half, Watson engineered the most efficient performance he’s had in a Browns uniform. He distributed the ball with surgical precision down the stretch, completing 80 percent of his passes and orchestrating a 12-play, 68-yard go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter where he converted four high-pressure third downs before throwing the game-winning 17-yard touchdown pass to Blake Whiteheart.
We'll see if this game ever starts again but as of now, it's pacing to be Deshaun Watson's best game by EPA per dropback in his time with the Cleveland Browns.
— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) September 20, 2026
The Bucs defense has been really underwhelming through two weeks, especially the linebackers and underneath coverage. pic.twitter.com/8lWKmY2mDw
DT Mason Graham
Stat Line: 3 total tackles, 1.0 sack, 2 tackles for loss
Graham continues to prove that his disruptive rookie campaign was no fluke, anchoring an interior defensive front that held firm when the game was on the line.
He blew up multiple interior run schemes, brought down Baker Mayfield for a crucial third-down sack in the third quarter, and routinely reset the line of scrimmage against Tampa Bay's interior guards. Graham's penetration forced Mayfield into hurried throws and helped limit Tampa Bay to field goals on multiple red-zone trips.
K Andre Szmyt
Stat Line: 3/3 field goals (long of 50 yards), 2/2 extra points, 11 total points
When the offense was completely bogged down in the first half, Szmyt single-handedly kept Cleveland within striking distance by drilling field goals from 50 and 48 yards out. He later knocked through a 34-yard attempt in the third quarter to cap off a drive, executing with flawless mechanics under dynamic crosswinds and eventual downpours in Tampa. On an afternoon where points were hard to come by, Szmyt provided a reliable security net.
Duds
RB Quinshon Judkins
Stat Line: 12 carries, 21 rushing yards (1.75 YPC), 5 receptions, 27 receiving yards
Judkins found almost no running room against Vita Vea and a stout Tampa Bay front, repeatedly getting contacted at or behind the line of scrimmage.
Outside of contributing five checkdown catches, he failed to gain leverage in the run game, averaging under two yards per carry and leaving Cleveland stuck behind the chains.
EDGE Jared Verse
Stat Line: 1 total tackle, 0 sacks, 0 QB hits
Verse delivered another quiet performance off the edge, failing to make an impact against Tampa Bay’s offensive tackles. He was routinely sealed out on stretch runs, enabling Bucky Irving to rip off key explosive gains on the perimeter, and failed to record a single quarterback hit on Mayfield. For a high-profile pass rusher expected to generate dynamic disruption, floating through back-to-back games without a signature play is a growing concern.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Studs and Duds from the Browns' Week 2 win over the Bucs
