This is one of the longest NFL games you’ll ever see as thunderstorms in Tampa caused this game to be delayed for 2 hours and 13 minutes at the 2 minute warning in the 4th quarter.
Browns Quarterback Deshaun Watson had the best performance he’s had in years as he threw 24/30 for 238 yards and 2 passing touchdowns. The Browns never really got the run game going as Watson also led the team in rushing with 7 carries for 22 yards. Starting Running Back Quinshon Judkins had 12 totes for 21 yards (an abysmal 1.8 yards per carry). Watson’s new favorite target Denzel Boston hauled in another massive touchdown this week as he finished with 5 catches for 95 yards and 2nd year Tight End Harold Fannin Jr. ended the game with 5 catches for 54 yards.
For the Buccaneers, freshly paid QB Baker Mayfield threw 21 of 24 for 182 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Running Back Bucky Irving ran the ball 17 times and picked up 89 yards on the ground. A good individual day for the former Oregon Duck. Wide Receiver Tez Johnson led the team in receiving with 49 yards despite only having one catch. Emeka Egbuka caught the Bucs lone touchdown as he finished with just 3 catches for 16 yards.
After the game when Browns Head Coach Todd Monken was addressing the media said “Browns are gonna Browns-F**k that!”. His comment came in retaliation of former Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin who quoted his former Wide Receiver JuJu Smith Schuster’s famous “The Browns is the Browns” remark.
The Browns showed real fire yesterday and Todd Monken is looking to keep this fire kindled. The team came back from a 10 point deficit to defeat the heavily favored Bucs. Baker Mayfield didn’t have quite the revenge game he was hoping for as he now falls to 0-2 in his career against the team that drafted him and then cast him aside. His first game against them was on September 11th 2022 when he was still a member of the Carolina Panthers. Mayfield threw 16/27 for 235 yards, 1 td and 1 int in the 26-24 loss to Jacoby Brissett’s Browns.
The Browns now head into a rematch of that game against the Panthers in Week 3 where Monken will look to keep his squad motivated. As for the 0-2 Bucs, they head into a game against the 2-0 Minnesota Vikings.