The Tampa Bay Buccaneers suffered one of the more shocking losses in Week 2, as they were handed a 23-19 defeat by the Cleveland Browns. After a two-hour lightning delay, the Bucs returned to the field and attempted to put together a game-winning drive, but they ultimately ended up falling short in this prolonged contest.
For the second straight week, Baker Mayfield was less-than-stellar under center, continuing a concerning trend that dates back to midway through last season. During this contest, Mayfield threw a costly interception that ended up coming back to haunt Tampa Bay, and he had an eye-opening explanation of the play when asked about it after the game.
Baker Mayfield Blames Interception on ‘Sweaty Football’
The Bucs knew that this was going to be a very important season, but through two games, they have fallen flat on their faces. The front office recommitted itself to key figures like Mayfield, head coach Todd Bowles, and defensive tackle Vita Vea, but this team looks like the same one that fell apart down the stretch of the 2025 campaign.
Mayfield continues to struggle to get out of his own way. One play, he’ll make a heroic effort to string something together for the Buccaneers, but on the next one, he’ll make a boneheaded mistake that costs his team. Simply put, Tampa Bay doesn’t have the sort of talent necessary to consistently overcome Mayfield’s penchant for making backbreaking errors.
Case in point, Mayfield threw an ugly interception at the end of the first quarter that ended up leading to three points for the Browns. This became quite important, because on their final drive, the Bucs were forced to go for it on 4th & 11 from the Browns’ 20-yard line, rather than potentially kicking a game-winning field goal. Mayfield knows his interception was costly, and when looking back at it, he seemed to imply that he didn’t have a good grip on the football when throwing it.
“It’s no excuse, but I kind of had a little bit of a sweaty ball,” Mayfield said when asked about the play. “At that point, if I can’t put the ball in a perfect position on the sideline, because the throw is there, the guy’s got depth, but he’s not all the way to the sideline. I’ve made that throw in practice a ton of times, so at that point, just check it down, be smart. It just sucks.”
Buccaneers Need Baker Mayfield to Get His Act Together
You can never blame a loss on a single play (or a single player), but the Buccaneers need more from Mayfield. The front office handed him a three-year, $165 million contract extension with the hope that he could be a guy who leads them to wins in these tight games. Instead, Mayfield’s turnover woes have directly contributed to a pair of losses to begin the year.
With a 0-2 record, Tampa Bay is already on the clock when it comes to turning its season around. The silver lining is that they play in a weak NFC South division, so there is some margin for error, but that won’t exactly be true in Week 3, as a tough matchup against the Minnesota Vikings looms. If Mayfield isn’t careful, another ugly game could be on the horizon for him and the Bucs’ offense.
Baker Mayfield Reveals Who’s to Blame for Costly Interception in Buccaneers Loss