Bucs vs. Browns

Bucs Suffer 23-17 Loss in Cleveland during Overtime

By: Alyssa Britton Harr

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers played against the Cleveland Browns Sunday, November 27th, in Cleveland, Ohio, at the FirstEnergy Stadium.

To start the game, the Browns won the coin toss and received the ball first. The Bucs tight end Ko Kieft got his first tackle of the game during the opening kickoff. The Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett connected with wide receiver Amari Cooper for a first down. The Browns moved down the field with a quick passing game with a 31-yard touchdown run on the opening drive from wide receiver Anthony Schwartz on reverse. The Browns took the lead 7-0.

The Bucs then moved into the red zone with Brady four for four on the drive, where Rachaad White had a big run on the 35-yard line. A false start on Josh Wells made the Bucs second and eleven. Brady’s pass to Chris Godwin scored the first touchdown of the game. The Bucs evened the score 7-7 with 5:11 left in the first quarter.

The Bucs had a 6-yard gain by Rachaad White on a screen. Brady’s pass was batted at the line and went incomplete to Cameron Brate. The Bucs were up to punt, trailing by three, upping the score 10-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Entering the second quarter, the Browns running back Kareem Hunt converted on fourth-and-one for a first down. Brissetts pass to Amari Cooper was incomplete on the third down, forcing the Browns to punt. Rachaad White then dropped the ball for a loss of one on third-and-one forcing the Bucs to punt.

Jacoby Brissett escaped an open field tackle for a 17-yard gain on the left sideline. Kareem Hunt converted on third-and-two for a Browns first down. The Bucs got a red-zone stop forcing the Browns to kick a field goal. Cade York’s 39-yard attempt was no good. The score remained 10-7 with 3:53 left in the second quarter.

The Bucs had a 16-yard gain by Mike Evans, negated by an offensive pass interference. Brady then threw a 23-yard pass to Chris Godwin over the middle of the field. The Bucs moving down the field evened up the game with Ryan Succop’s 42-yard field goal leaving the score 10-10 for halftime.

After going three and out, Brady could not find an open target and was sacked for a loss of 6-yards. The Bucs marched down the field, where Brady made a 28-yard pass to Mike Evans. This pass completed Evans 10,000 career receiving yards. Brady’s pass to Julio Jones gained 18 yards on a reverse. Brady’s pass to Chris Godwin was complete, and Brady was five for five as he connected with tight end Ko Kieft for a touchdown, leaving the score 17-10 in the third quarter.

The Browns wide receiver Donavan Peoples-Jones had a 29-yard return bringing the Browns to midfield. Bucs safety Keanu Neal knocked down Brissett in the backfield for a loss of 8 yards on the third down. The Bucs stalled the Browns drive, forcing a punt.

The Bucs tried to get the Browns to jump offsides, but the Bucs ended up taking a delay of game penalty and punted. Browns running back Nick Chubb plowed through the Bucs defense to get a 15-yard gain and a Browns first down. Devin White took charge, sacking Jacoby Brissett and knocking down Carl Nassib for a loss of 7-yards.

Brissett was sacked again by Bucs defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches for the fourth sack of the game. The Browns then punted. With control of the ball again, the Bucs and Brady was sacked for a loss of 7 yards by Garrett and Clowney on third and long. The Bucs then punted.

The Browns’ Nick Chubb made a 28-yard run bringing the Browns to the Bucs 12-yard line. Levonte David snuffed out a screen where he dropped Browns tight end David Njoku. Brissett then connected with Njoku in the back of the end zone on a 12-yard pass for a touchdown. The Browns tied up the score 17-17 with 32 seconds left in the game.

The Bucs and the Browns went into overtime, where the Bucs won the coin toss, receiving the ball first. The Bucs got their first down due to a neutral zone infraction on the Browns. Brady’s pass to Chris Godwin kept the first down alive. The Bucs had the ball two times in overtime but couldn’t score.

The Browns marched down the field with a quick pass to Nick Chubb, and he ran it in for a touchdown. The Browns scored, ending the game in overtime 23-17.

The Bucs record stands (5-6) as they still stand number one in the NFC South. On Monday, December 5th, the Buccaneers will play at home in Raymond James Stadium against the New Orleans Saints. The game starts at 8:15 P.M.  

Game Day Facts by Bucs Sports Reporter