A slow start does not have to define how a game ends, and Sunday’s trip to Tampa proved exactly that for Cleveland. What began as a stalemate decided entirely by field goals eventually turned into the kind of finish this fan base has been waiting to see, complete with a fourth-quarter rally and a tense weather delay before the final whistle. Cleveland walked out of Raymond James Stadium with a 23-19 win, improving to 1-1 on the season.
“WORTH THE WAIT!!” the Browns posted following the win.
WORTH THE WAIT ‼️ pic.twitter.com/3PF8Ql10U8
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 20, 2026
The first half offered little indication of what was coming. Five combined field goals from Chase McLaughlin and Andre Szmyt left the 9-6 in favor of Tampa heading into the break. Tampa Bay broke through first in the third quarter, capitalizing on a miscommunication when Denzel Ward got picked off by his own receiver on a crossing route, setting up a short Baker Mayfield touchdown to Emeka Egbuka that pushed the Buccaneers ahead 16-6.
Cleveland answered with the two biggest plays of the day. A Szmyt field goal trimmed the deficit before Watson connected with Denzel Boston on a 55-yard touchdown that tied the game at 16 late in the third quarter, the longest play of the afternoon for either offense. Tampa Bay briefly retook the lead early in the fourth on another McLaughlin field goal, but Watson answered again, finding a wide-open Blake Whiteheart on a play-action 17-yard score that put Cleveland ahead 23-19 with just under 4 minutes remaining.
That lead held up through a weather delay that paused the game with 2:00 minutes left to play, and Cleveland’s defense finished the job once play resumed. Watson finished the day 24 of 30 for 238 yards and 2 touchdowns without an interception, posting a 121.9 rating in a complete reversal from the version of himself that struggled in Week 1. Boston’s 5-catch, 95-yard day stood out as his best performance of the young season, while Harold Fannin Jr. added 5 catches of his own after a quiet opener.
The defense held up its end as well, generating 3 sacks on Mayfield after managing almost no pressure a week earlier, a sign that the scheme adjustments discussed throughout the week may already be paying off.
Every storyline swirling around Watson entering this game, from radio criticism to national predictions about a benching, will likely get pushed aside for at least another week. A response like this one, especially with a home opener against Carolina looming, buys Cleveland’s quarterback and this coaching staff some real breathing room heading into Week 3.
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