Week 2: Mayfield Faces His Former Team as Browns Visit Buccaneers
The Cleveland Browns visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, September 20, in Baker Mayfield's first game against the team that drafted him first overall in 2018. Both teams are 0-1: Tampa Bay lost 33-27 at Cincinnati despite Mayfield completing 23 of 28 passes, undone by three lost fumbles, and Cleveland lost 34-10 at home to Jacksonville with Deshaun Watson throwing an interception on the first possession. Todd Monken confirmed Watson as the starter after reviewing the film. Cleveland also lost running back Dylan Sampson to injured reserve.
Mayfield against Cleveland
"There's history there," Mayfield said this week. He was efficient in the opener, and the fumbles rather than the passing were what cost Tampa Bay.
Watson keeps the job, for now
Monken cited "some really good things on film," but the Browns scored 10 points behind a line with five new starters and allowed touchdowns on six of Jacksonville's nine possessions.
Tampa Bay's home opener
The Buccaneers were without Jalen McMillan and Sean Tucker in Week 1 and will file their first Week 2 injury report Wednesday.
AI Prediction
Browns 
Buccaneers Cleveland's offense is the league's least functional right now
Ten points, a rebuilt line and a quarterback in his second game back from two Achilles surgeries against a defense that just held Cincinnati's offense in check for stretches.
Tampa Bay's turnovers were the anomaly, not the passing
Mayfield completed 82 percent of his throws; if the Bucs simply hold onto the ball, they should score comfortably against a Browns defense that allowed 360 yards.
Motivation is real but already priced in
The revenge angle is the storyline; the roster gap is the reason for the margin.
The widest lean of the early window. Cleveland's Week 1 showing on both sides of the ball drives the projection more than Mayfield's history with the Browns.
Buccaneers Leaders
Browns Leaders
Team Stats
| Browns | Stat | Buccaneers |
|---|---|---|
| 10.0 | Points Per Game | 27.0 |
| 292.0 | Total Yards | 305.0 |
| 205.0 | Yards Passing | 216.0 |
| 87.0 | Yards Rushing | 89.0 |
| 34.0 | Points Allowed Per Game | 33.0 |
| 371.0 | Yards Allowed | 360.0 |
| 245.0 | Pass Yards Allowed | 254.0 |
| 126.0 | Rush Yards Allowed | 106.0 |
Venue
Closing Line
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Buccaneers Injuries