Baker Mayfield had an absolute nightmare Sunday afternoon, coughing up three devastating lost fumbles that directly contributed to Tampa Bay’s narrow 33-27 loss to Cincinnati. You’d think after agreeing to a contract extension earlier in the week, things would feel settled, right? Nope. The Buccaneers’ signal-caller finished the game going 23-of-28 for 216 yards with no touchdowns and no picks, but those three giveaways were the real story, sinking Tampa Bay’s early season hopes.
The Turnover Meltdown That Crushed Tampa Bay
Mayfield didn’t pull any punches in his postgame press conference, stepping up to take full blame for the disastrous outing. “This one falls on me,” he admitted. “I mean, they had, I think, 17 points alone off of my turnovers. Turns out to be a one-score game , six points.” Think about that for a second. In a game decided by just six points, 17 came directly from his mistakes. That’s a brutal gut punch for any team, especially so early in the season when every game sets the tone. After getting a new deal, you expect a statement game, not one where you hand the opponent nearly three touchdowns worth of free points. This performance has to be a major concern for Bucs fans.
The Awkward Reunion with Cleveland Looms Large
Here’s where it gets even spicier: the Cincinnati Bengals were just the first of two AFC North opponents the Buccaneers are scheduled to face to kick off their 2026 slate. Who’s up next? You guessed it: the Cleveland Browns. The history between Baker Mayfield and the Browns isn’t just “there,” it’s legendary, and not in a way that’s good for Cleveland. The Browns infamously decided to move on from Mayfield after the 2021 season, trading for Deshaun Watson as his replacement. Mayfield bounced around after that, with stints with the Panthers and Rams in 2022, before finally finding a home with the Bucs. As he said, “I mean, obviously, there’s history there , there’s no way to go around that.” He’s already 0-1 against his old squad, having lost to them back in 2022 when he was playing for Carolina. Meanwhile, the Browns are reportedly still reeling from the aftereffects of that disastrous trade.
Now, after a performance filled with fumbles, Mayfield has a truly unique chance to face his past head-on. This isn’t just another game on the schedule; it’s a chance for Baker to finally settle some old scores, or for the Browns to twist the knife a little deeper. Tampa Bay needs to get that bad taste out of their mouths, and there’s no better way to do it than by showing up big against the team that moved on from him. All eyes are going to be on that matchup.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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