The Buccaneers appeared to be in control for the entirety of the game, but they were defeated by the Browns late in the fourth quarter and in overtime. Brady was effective, but the Bucs’ ground game failed as they relied on their defence to stay in the game. With a late fourth-quarter score by David Njoku, the Browns forced OT, where they eventually took the top off the Bucs’ defence and won 23-17.
Gameday Recap: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Lose for the Third Time in a Row
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were hoping for their third straight win after victories against the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and a bye when they travelled to Cleveland to face the Browns.
The first half of the game had minimal excitement because neither team made many explosive plays. The Cleveland Browns scored on their first possession, driving down the field and scoring on a 31-yard double reverse to Anthony Schwartz. The Buccaneers’ sole touchdown in the first half came on their first possession, a 10-yard pass from Tom Brady to Chris Godwin. Rachaad White had early and frequent action in his second start of the season after Leonard Fournette was ruled out with a hip injury.
Gameday Recap: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Lose for the Third Time in a Row
Early on, there was concern that the Bucs would be without some of their top secondary players owing to injuries sustained in the first half. Mike Edwards left the game with an unexplained injury but subsequently returned. Carlton Davis III had an interception but couldn’t bring it in. Davis appeared to take a shot to the face towards the end of the play, but he was able to return to the game. Safety Antoine Winfield Jr. was being tested for a concussion but was cleared to play again.