The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) had the Cleveland Browns (1-1) where they wanted them, but despite lining up for a first-and-10 from the opponents’ 34-yard-line with two minutes left in the game, a two-hour weather delay derailed the Bucs’ chance of picking up their first win of the season, falling 23-19 on Sunday.

Trailing 23-19 heading into the final minutes, quarterback Baker Mayfield was able to drive the Buccaneers into Browns’ territory. Right as the two teams took the two-minute time out, a storm suddenly rolled in and because of the threat of lightning, stadium officials were forced to delay the game.

Once the storm cleared, play resumed at 6:10 p.m. ET. After the delay, the Buccaneers gained 21 yards, but a holding penalty led to a fourth-and-11 with 22 seconds left in the game. Despite an open Emeka Egbuka in the end zone on the fourth-down play, Mayfield led his receiver too far, resulting in an incomplete pass and the win for the Browns.   

The Browns, who had trailed by 10 points in the first half, knelt on the final play of the game to secure head coach Todd Monken’s first win as an NFL coach. 

The loss marked the first time since Tampa Bay has opened a season 0-2 since 2017. 

After a slow start by both teams, combining for five field goals in the first half, Mayfield gave the Buccaneers a spark on the opening drive of the second half. With the help of two third-down runs to keep the drive going, Mayfield marched Tampa Bay down the field 65 yards on nine plays, scoring the game’s first touchdown and his first touchdown pass of the season hitting wide receiver Emeka Egbuka for 5 yards to give the Buccaneers a 16-6 lead with 9:33 left in the third quarter.

The Browns answered with a long drive of their own on their first drive of the second half but only managed an Andre Szmyt 34-yard field goal to cut the lead to 16-9.

After a Tampa Bay punt and later a 15-yard facemask penalty on linebacker Yaya Diaby, Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson hit the first big play of the game on a 55-yard touchdown throw and catch by rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston to tie the game 16-16 with 1:23 left in the third quarter.

Cleveland and Tampa Bay traded punts to start the fourth quarter, but the Buccaneers took a 19-16 lead with 9:59 left in the game with Chase McLaughlin’s fourth field goal of the game from 31 yards out.

Watson found his rhythm once again on the Browns’ next drive, leading the team to converting 4-of-4 on third down and taking a 23-19 lead with 3:51 left in the game on a 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end Blake Whiteheart. 

The game was then delayed due to lightning at the 2-minute timeout with the Buccaneers driving to the Browns’ 34-yard-line.

The first half of the game featured long field goals and penalties as the Buccaneers took a 9-6 lead over the Browns at the end of the second quarter.

Tampa Bay’s Chase McLaughlin and Cleveland’s Andre Szmyt hit 50 or more yards to open the scoring. For the second straight game McLaughlin hit a 50-plus-yard field goal by connecting on a 59-yard kick on the Buccaneers’ first drive of the game to take a 3-0 lead with 11:10 left in the first quarter. Szmyt tied the game 3-3 on the Browns’ next drive with a 50-yard kick with 7:12 left in the first.

After McLaughlin extended the lead to 6-3 on a 45-yard field goal late in the first, Cleveland cornerback Myles Harden made the biggest play of the first half by intercepting a Mayfield pass at the Tampa Bay 36 with 1:13 left in the first quarter. Despite gaining just 12 yards after Mayfiled’s fourth turnover of the season, Szmyt tied the game 6-6 with 13:59 left in the second quarter.

McLaughlin added a 31-yard field goal with 15 seconds left in the first half to give the Buccaneers a 9-6 lead at halftime after defensive tackle Elijah Roberts stuffed the Browns’ fourth-and-1 rushing attempt at the Cleveland 34-yard-line.

Combined the Buccaneers and Browns combined for 10 penalties for 87 yards, 185 total yards of offense and 3-of-14 on third down in the first half.

Tampa Bay will play the second of three straight home games next week when the Minnesota Vikings (2-0) come to town on Sept. 27.