Bucs slip to 0-2, Mayfield vows to fight back

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to 0-2 after a 23-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns, marking the franchise’s first two-game skid since 2014 and the first time quarterback Baker Mayfield has started 0-2 with the team. Mayfield said he was "pretty shocked" and that the club must "fight our way out" of the early trouble. The Browns took the lead with 3:57 left on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Deshaun Watson to Blake Whiteheart, followed by the extra point. A lightning delay at the two‑minute mark sent both squads to the locker room for two hours and twelve minutes before play resumed. After a 6-yard run by Bucky Irving put the Buccaneers at the Browns 13, a holding penalty on center Graham Barton forced a second‑and‑14 from the 23. Mayfield then threw to rookie Ted Hurst III on a go route; Hurst slipped in the rain‑slick end zone and the ball was incomplete. Hurst said the downpour did not affect him, noting the team had practiced in similar conditions. Mayfield scrambled for three yards and later attempted a fourth‑and‑11 throw to Emeka Egbuka, which was overthrown. He finished 6-of-17 on passes of 10 or more yards, 3-of-13 on passes of 15 or more, and 3-of-8 on third down. He threw a first‑quarter interception that set up a Browns field goal and recorded his fourth turnover of the season. Fans booed as offensive drives stalled, a stark contrast to the excitement surrounding Mayfield’s three‑year, $165 million contract signed 12 days earlier. Coach Todd Bowles blamed too many offensive penalties and missed tackles on defense, urging the group to fix mistakes quickly.