The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had nearly everything go their way defensively in the first half Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. However, by the end of the afternoon, and more than two hours after lightning brought the game to a halt, all of that momentum had disappeared.
Tampa Bay fell 23-19 to Cleveland at Raymond James Stadium after a game that featured a little bit of everything, including a weather delay lasting just over two hours and a final Buccaneers possession that ended 20 yards away from the end zone.
The Bucs led 9-6 at halftime despite an uneven offensive performance. Tampa Bay moved the ball consistently enough to create scoring opportunities, but its first three scoring drives all ended with Chase McLaughlin field goals. McLaughlin connected
from 59, 45, 31, and 31 yards on the afternoon, finishing a perfect 4-for-4.
Bucky Irving provided a spark early in the game. The second-year running back repeatedly found space against Cleveland and finished with 89 yards on 17 carries, including a 38-yard run in the first quarter. Tampa Bay finished with 137 rushing yards and averaged 5.5 yards per attempt.
Baker Mayfield's afternoon was far more uneven, but much better than his Week 1 turnover session. He made a handful of impressive plays with his legs, including multiple scrambles where he escaped pressure and fought through contact, but he also held onto the football too long at times. His biggest first-half mistake came late in the first quarter when he tried to force a pass downfield for Ted Hurst and was intercepted by Browns cornerback M.J. Harden, who returned it 25 yards to the Tampa Bay 28.
The Tampa Bay defense prevented the turnover from becoming a touchdown. David Walker, who did not receive a defensive snap in Week 1, came up with a third-down sack of Deshaun Watson to push Cleveland backward and force another field goal. Walker finished with a sack and a tackle for loss, while Elijah Roberts also recorded a sack for the Buccaneers.
That defense was the biggest reason Tampa Bay entered halftime with the lead. Cleveland managed only 59 net yards in the opening two quarters and went 0-for-6 on third down. The Browns also managed just 19 rushing yards before halftime.
Tampa Bay came out of the locker room with its best offensive possession of the game. Mayfield opened the second half with a 24-yard completion to Chris Godwin; Irving followed with a 14-yard run, and the Bucs eventually reached the five-yard line. Mayfield escaped pressure and found Emeka Egbuka for a five-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 16-6.
Cleveland put together an 11-play field-goal drive before Watson found Denzel Boston over the middle for a 55-yard touchdown. Tampa Bay had multiple opportunities to bring Boston down after the catch, but missed tackles turned a relatively routine completion into the biggest play of the game. The score was tied at 16 late in the third quarter.
It was part of a frustrating second half for a Buccaneers defense that had tackled well enough early but increasingly relied on arm tackles as the game progressed. Josiah Trotter remained active and finished with a team-high 11 combined tackles, while Benjamin Morrison had seven and Alex Anzalone had eight.
The biggest difference came on third down. After failing on all six of their third-down attempts before halftime, the Browns converted four of five in the fourth quarter. Their go-ahead drive lasted 12 plays and 6:07, with Watson repeatedly taking what Tampa Bay gave him underneath. He eventually found tight end Brendan Whiteheart for a 17-yard touchdown that gave Cleveland a 23-19 lead with 3:51 remaining.
Watson finished 24-of-30 for 238 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Boston was his most productive receiver with five catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. Tampa Bay held Browns running back Quinshon Judkins to just 21 yards on 12 carries, but Cleveland did enough through the air to overcome its inability to establish the run.
The Buccaneers were given one final opportunity when Kameron Johnson returned the ensuing kickoff 48 yards to the Tampa Bay 49. Mayfield moved the offense into Cleveland territory before the two-minute warning, when lightning forced both teams back into their locker rooms and suspended the game.
When play finally resumed just over two hours later, the rain was pouring down, and Tampa Bay still needed a touchdown.
The Bucs reached the Cleveland 13 before an offensive holding penalty pushed them backward. Mayfield then gave Hurst a chance down the left sideline in the end zone, but the ball slipped through his hands in the rain. Two plays later, on fourth-and-11, Mayfield stepped into a tight pocket and tried to find Egbuka near the back of the end zone. The pass landed just beyond his reach, turning the ball over on downs with 18 seconds remaining.
Mayfield finished 21-of-34 for 182 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Hurst was targeted seven times but finished with two catches for 27 yards, while Cade Otton led Tampa Bay with five receptions. Godwin caught all three of his targets for 46 yards.
The Buccaneers actually outgained Cleveland 313-267 and possessed the ball for more than 30 minutes, but four field goals on scoring possessions, an interception, and a defense that could not get off the field late proved too much to overcome. Tampa Bay finished 7-of-16 on third down and went just 1-for-4 in the red zone.
The Bucs had chances before and after the weather delay, but couldn't do enough to come away with the Week 2 win. They fall to 0-2 on the season, and Todd Bowles has a lot of explaining to do.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Bucs fall to Browns after wild weather-delayed finish
