Losing a home game against the lowly Browns would drop Tampa Bay to 0-2 and could be devastating for the Bucs' hopes of returning to the postseason.
If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want to return to the playoffs this season, they must play much better than they did in Sunday's opener.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield must take better care of the ball after losing three fumbles against Cincinnati. He knows that. He knows he must play better if the Bucs are to have any success this year.
After finishing 8-9 last season, and following a 2-7 collapse down the stretch that kept Tampa out of the playoffs, Mayfield, head coach Todd Bowles, and the entire organization are under heavy pressure to return to the postseason.
Mayfield is now one of the NFL's highest-paid QBs after signing a three-year, $165 million extension right before the season. More money brings more scrutiny, and every loss or poor game will be followed by Mayfield's critics claiming he didn't deserve to receive that much.
Bowles began the season already on the hot seat. Last year's failures, which included another season of the defense not meeting expectations, have some Bucs fans clamoring for a coaching change.
If the Bucs don't start playing winning football soon, Bowles may not make it through the season.
The organization is also feeling the heat to win. After shelling out a ton of money to both Mayfield and 31-year-old defensive tackle Vita Vea in the weeks before the opener, the team sent a clear message to fans that it expects to win now.
Losing on the road against an improved Cincinnati Bengals team is one thing. Losing to the Cleveland Browns at home in Week 2 could be devastating.
Are The Bucs Already Facing A Must-Win Game?
It's almost impossible for any Week 2 contest in the NFL to be a must-win game.
It's a long, 17-game season. Starting 0-2 isn't optimal, but it's not a death kiss, either.
Especially for the Bucs, who watched every other team in the NFC South also fall short in Week 1. After having zero teams with a winning record a year ago, the division is expected to be weak once again this season, possibly sending a losing team to the playoffs in back-to-back years.
Playing in a division where eight or nine wins might get the job done pretty much guarantees that starting 0-2 doesn't end your hopes, but Tampa has to be careful not to fall asleep at the wheel in Week 2.
For starters, the Browns are terrible. Or, at least, they had a terrible showing in Week 1, falling 34-10 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. QB Deshaun Watson continues to be cursed in Cleveland. Or has he cursed the Browns?
Cleveland should provide a great opportunity for Tampa to get into the win column. Mayfield has had this game circled on his calendar for months, even if he is taking the high road when talking about it. He will be trying to destroy the team that tossed him away to make room for Watson four years ago.
Losing at home as 8.5-point favorites against the Browns is the type of loss that usually comes back to haunt a team at season's end. It could also be a sign that the Bucs simply aren't any good this year.
Either way, Tampa's schedule gets a lot tougher after Week 2. After Cleveland, the Bucs play the Vikings and Packers at home, then go on the road to face the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football before returning to Tampa to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. All four of those teams are expected to be in the mix for a playoff spot this year, with all but the Steelers fighting for the same NFC playoff spots as the Bucs.
If the Bucs lose to Cleveland, they must go at least 2-2 over that four-game stretch to avoid a 1-5, or worse, start. Even if they win a pair of those games, being 2-4 after playing four of the first six games at home wouldn't be a start that inspires much confidence, even in a lousy division.
Final Thoughts
Of course, this week's game against the Browns technically isn't "must-win," but losing would already have the Bucs backed up against the wall with much better teams lined up for at least the next month.
If they can't beat Cleveland at home, how could anyone think they will beat any of the teams coming up?
A loss to the Browns would be terrible and likely a sign that this may be another long, disappointing season. Calls for Bowles to be fired will get much louder.
However, a win against Cleveland gets the Bucs back on track and keeps hope alive for a successful year.
