The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to 0-2 with a 23-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, but Pro Football Focus saw some encouraging individual performances on both sides of the ball.
The grades also highlighted some of the same problems that showed up on the field. Tampa Bay finished with 313 total yards and rushed for 137, but the offense managed only one touchdown and went 1-for-4 in the red zone. The Bucs had a chance to win late after a 132-minute weather delay but couldn't finish the final drive.
Offense
Tristan Wirfs bounced back from a rough PFF grade in Week 1 and led Tampa Bay's offense with a 77.2 overall grade. He was particularly strong in pass protection, earning an 81.1 pass-blocking grade. Chris Godwin wasn't far behind at 75.9 overall,
including a 73.3 receiving grade. Godwin finished with three receptions for 46 yards and also added a 12-yard run.
Baker Mayfield finished third offensively with a 67.2 grade despite an uneven afternoon. Mayfield completed 21 of 34 passes for 182 yards, one touchdown and one interception while taking three sacks. His lone touchdown was a five-yard pass to Emeka Egbuka in the third quarter.
Tez Johnson earned a 63.8 grade after turning his only reception into a 49-yard gain, while Bucky Irving rounded out the top five at 60.6. Irving was Tampa Bay's most productive offensive player statistically, rushing 17 times for 89 yards.
The offensive line was much more concerning outside of Wirfs. Luke Goedeke earned a 56.1 overall grade, while Ben Bredeson finished at 48.4, Graham Barton at 44.9, and Cody Mauch received the lowest offensive grade at 38.0. Mauch's 31.8 run-blocking grade was also the lowest among Tampa Bay's starting offensive linemen.
Defense
Tykee Smith led Tampa Bay's defense with a 78.4 overall grade and an impressive 88.0 run-defense grade. Smith finished with five tackles, including three tackles for loss, according to the official gamebook.
Josiah Trotter followed at 73.8 after recording a team-high 11 total tackles. Anthony Nelson earned a 73.5 grade on 15 defensive snaps, while rookie Elijah Roberts finished at 72.2. Yaya Diaby rounded out the top five with a 70.5 overall grade.
David Walker also made the most of his first defensive opportunity of the season. After playing exclusively on special teams in Week 1, Walker received nine defensive snaps against Cleveland and earned a 66.1 PFF grade. More importantly, the "rookie" recorded his first NFL sack, dropping Deshaun Watson for an eight-yard loss early in the second quarter.
At the other end of the grades was Alex Anzalone. The veteran linebacker received a 39.8 overall grade, the lowest on Tampa Bay's defense for the second consecutive week. PFF gave him a 29.5 run-defense grade and a 34.0 coverage grade.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: PFF grades tell the story of Bucs’ narrow loss to Browns
