Five seasons, three teams and a two-plus-hour weather delay later, Baker Mayfield is still waiting to exact some revenge against his old team.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ star remained winless against the Cleveland Browns after being outplayed Sunday by Deshaun Watson, the quarterback Cleveland acquired four years ago to replace Mayfield and lead the team in the future.
Watson threw two touchdown passes, including a go-ahead 17-yard toss to Blake Whiteheart in the fourth quarter, leading the Browns to a 23-19 comeback victory.
Mayfield was leading a potential game-winning drive at the two-minute warning, when the game was suspended because of lightning around Raymond James Stadium.
After a 2-hour, 12-minute wait, Mayfield was unable to finish the comeback, marching the Bucs to the Browns’ 20-yard line before a fourth-down overthrow of Emeka Egbuka in the end zone with 18 seconds remaining.
The Bucs opened the season with two losses for the first time since 2014.
“It stings more because we're 0-2,” Mayfield said, downplaying the disappointment of losing to the Browns, who drafted him No. 1 overall in 2018.
Mayfield completed 21 of 34 passes for 182 yards and one touchdown. He was also sacked three times and underthrew a pass to Ted Hurst that Cleveland (1-1) intercepted and converted into three points.
The ninth-year pro was more concerned with what's gone wrong for Tampa Bay's offense. Mayfield lost three fumbles in an opening loss at Cincinnati.
“(I'm) frustrated because it's close. You can feel it. You can see it,” Mayfield said. “We're moving the ball at times, and then just shooting ourselves in the foot. ... We really have to be self-critical, look at the tape, get stuff fixed. We just can't keep making the same mistakes over and over.”
Missed tackles and penalties
Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said the Bucs were unable to overcome penalties and second-half missed tackles.
“Nobody's coming to save us,” Bowles said. “We've got to fix ourselves, and we've got to fix it in a hurry.”
The issues were glaring on Cleveland’s scoring drive late in the third quarter that tied the game at 16-all.
On first down from the Browns’ 30, Watson threw in the left flat to Harod Fannin, who slipped free of linebacker Alex Anzalone and ran for 13 yards.
Two downs later, defensive end YaYa Diaby was penalized 15 yards for a facemask, giving the Browns a first down at their own 45-yard line.
On the next play, Watson found Denzel Boston on a cross at the Bucs’ 40 as three Bucs’ defenders converged. Boston spun away from Anzalone, and Tykee Smith knocked Antoine Winfield Jr. off Boston, who sprinted the final 30 yards to the end zone.
“We had our hands on them and couldn’t bring them down,” Bowles said. “We had two guys collide and miss Boston, and he ran for a touchdown.”
Stalled drives forced the Bucs to count on kicker Chase McLaughlin, who came through with field goals of 59, 45, 31 and 31 yards.
After lightning strikes, Bucs can’t
Mayfield willed the Bucs into the end zone on the opening drive of the second half for a 16-6 lead. He stiff-armed his way to a first down on third-and-9. On the next play, he eluded a sack and threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Egbuka, who had slipped and made the catch sitting on the ground.
On the next drive, Watson converted four times on third down before connecting with Whiteheart, who slipped past the line of scrimmage unnoticed and rumbled 17 yards to put Cleveland up, 23-19 with 3:51 left.
Tampa Bay’s Kam Johnson took the ensuing kickoff 48 yards to set up Mayfield just short of midfield. Two Bucky Irving runs and two Mayfield passes gave the Bucs a second-and-4 at the Browns’ 28 with two minutes left.
That’s when the officials cleared the field because of weather. When the game resumed, most of the announced crowd of 61,391 was gone and heavy rain fell again.
Irving ran twice and Mayfield's pass to Hurst got the Bucs to the 13 before a holding penalty on center Graham Barton set them back. Two plays later, Mayfield's pass on fourth-and-10 from the 20 sailed past Egbuka and the Browns – an 8.5-point underdog – were winners.
“As much as it sucks, we’re going to keep grinding and keep getting better,” Bucs tackle Tristan Wirfs said. “Keep trying to improve and figure this out. Nobody likes this feeling. [I] don’t want this anymore.”
Mayfield vs. Watson
The Browns gave up on Mayfield after four inconsistent seasons that included one playoff appearance.
The 31-year-old quarterback split time between Carolina and the Los Angeles Rams in 2022 before joining Tampa Bay after Tom Brady retired in 2023.
With a rejuvenated Mayfield leading the way, the Bucs won consecutive NFC South titles in his first two seasons with the team. He was rewarded this month with a three-year, $165 million contract extension through 2029.
The Browns, meanwhile, continued to flounder since signing Watson four years ago. Watson’s job looked to be in jeopardy after the Browns were routed by the Jacksonville Jaguars 34-10 last week in the season opener.
Watson shouldn't have to worry about Shedeur Sanders taking his job this week after completing 24 of 30 for 238 yards, finishing with a 121.9 passing rating to Mayfield's 73.4.
“I'm right where I'm supposed to be,” Watson said, describing his emotions after the win. “Leave the journey in God's hands, keep working hard, keep pushing forward and let the outcome be the outcome when it comes.”
Afterward, first-year coach Todd Monken wasn’t ready to decide on a starter for Cleveland's home opener against Carolina next week.
“I'm so happy for him,” Monken said of Watson. “Good for him. Good for 22 months working his (tail) off to get to where he's at. I'm gonna leave it at that.”
WUSF's Rick Mayer contributed to this report.
