Report Card Grades from the Bucs' Week 2 loss to the Browns
· Yahoo Sports
Tampa Bay let a win slip through their fingers, falling to the Cleveland Browns 23-19. The entire team had a hand in the loss, though no one owns a greater share of the blame than quarterback Baker Mayfield. His inability to operate the offense has put the Bucs in a 0-2 hole despite an otherwise winnable schedule.
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Here is the Bucs' report card from their Week 2 loss to the Browns:
Quarterback: D
The Bucs go as Baker Mayfield goes, and Mayfield is going nowhere. Fast. He couldn't hit the deep ball, and he routinely missed open receivers against Cleveland. His lack of accuracy and rhythm will keep the Bucs from truly competing for the NFC South.
Running back: B
The Bucs running backs were actually pretty effective against Cleveland. Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell both averaged over five yards per carry. They were less effective in the pass game, mostly due to some ill-conceived screen attempts. Still, Irving and Gainwell made the most of what they were given.
Wide receiver: B-
It is a little tough to knock the receivers for a quarterback's poor play. Godwin, Egbuka, Hurst, and Johnson were usually open when targeted by Mayfield. He just missed them.
Tight end: B-
Cade Otton had a pretty uneven game, but overall it was more positive than negative. He had five catches for 38 yards, including an insane first-down grab that required a Todd Bowles challenge to get the call correct.
Offensive line: C
The offensive line continued to struggle with pass protection, though the consequences were far less catastrophic. Cody Mauch in particular has problems holding up, allowing five pressures per PFF. Tristan Wirfs, however, seemed to bounce back, surrendering just one pressure.
Defensive line: C-
The pass rush saw some progress, thanks in large part to an actual role for David Walker, who notched a sack in his first NFL game. The run defense tightened up, allowing just 44 rush yards on 23 attempts.
Linebacker: C-
Josiah Trotter continues to look like the real deal, leading the team with 12 tackles and looking capable in pass coverage. Alex Anzalone, on the other hand, looks unplayable and was a major liability in virtually every aspect.
Secondary: C
The Bucs secondary didn't get a ton of help from the defensive line, but they had their own problems with rookie WR Denzel Boston. Tykee Smith struggled with missed tackles, but Zyon McCollum appears to have gotten over that issue.
Special teams: B+
Chase McLaughlin was Tampa Bay's MVP, for what it's worth. He accounted for 13 of Tampa Bay's 19 points. The returners were also helpful, with Kam Johnson doing everything he could to set up a game-winning drive, returning a kickoff 49 yards.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Report Card Grades from the Bucs' Week 2 loss to the Browns