5 Winners From The Browns Victory Over The Buccaneers

“Everyone gets a game ball. I don’t care what it costs,” head coach Todd Monken exclaimed to his team in the locker room after the Cleveland Browns win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Browns were 8.5-point underdogs and were expected to arrive back in Cleveland 0-2. Deshaun Watson was seemingly on his way to the bench as reports were that the quarterbacks would be reevaluated after the game. But after four quarters and a two-and-a-half hour weather delay, things have changed. In a game that felt more important than just a Week 2 game, several Browns rose to the occasion.

Deshaun Watson

Watson was considered down and out heading into the showdown against the guy he replaced, Baker Mayfield. He responded in a big way by throwing for more yards and touchdowns. Watson was poised, decisive, and accurate on his way to the comeback victory. Most of his passes were short to mid-ranger, but he led the receivers in a way to create yards after the catch. He used his legs effectively, gaining several key first downs. The Browns did not turn the ball over and gave up only two sacks. After a long, controversial week, Watson had one of his best games as a Cleveland Brown at a time when he needed it the most.

Todd Monken

After the first game against Jacksonville, it looked like the Browns were unorganized and unprepared to play football. One week later, the Browns looked like an intriguing competitive team with a bunch of young talent. While Watson’s accuracy should not be overlooked, the Browns receivers were running open against the Buccaneers secondary. Monken’s offense looked smooth and competent. He will need to find ways to generate yards on the ground, but the passing attack was effective getting multiple players involved.

“There is one game ball we are going to give away this afternoon,” said general manager Andrew Berry before giving a game ball to Monken due to winning his first game as a head coach. Monken immediately credited the players for the win, but he got them amped up and locked in to complete the victory. Monken had an expletive response to Mike Tomlin’s “Browns are gonna Browns” analysis after Week 1.

Denzel Boston

The rookie receiver showed exactly why fans were excited for his debut season. He used his big body and strong hands to make a catch and break tackles on his way to a 55-yard touchdown. He ended his day with five catches and averaged 19 yards per catch. Boston can be an important weapon to moving the chains and using his frame to make contested catches on key downs.

The Secondary

The defense was torched in their first week by playing zone. Defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg changed up the scheme and played more man coverage. The cornerbacks were sticky on the Buccaneers receivers and Mayfield had a hard time getting easy completions. The Browns’ secondary proved that they can still be a strength on the defense when used correctly.

Carson Schwesinger

Schwesinger was all over the field, recording ten tackles. He chased down Mayfield and laid a hit on him that affected Mayfield’s shoulder. The hair was flowing in the Tampa Bay weather and he was chasing and hitting the Buccaneers all game long. The reigning defensive rookie of the year has been a menace to opposing offenses since getting drafted last year in the second round.

The Browns used the entire team on the way to a victory, as the defense bent, but did not break in the revenge game for Mayfield. The offense was efficient enough on moving the ball and answering the Buccaneers’ scores. On special teams, Andre Szmyt made all of his kicks and the returners consistently put the offense on the right side of the 30-yard line. While everyone in the locker room deserved a game ball, these handful stood out.

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