Bucs at Browns: Pewter Preview And Predictions

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BUCCANEERS at BROWNS

WHEN: Sunday, November 27, 2022 | WHERE: FirstEnergy Stadium | KICKOFF: 1:00 p.m. ET | TV: FOX

PLAY-BY-PLAY: Kenny Albert |ANALYST: Jonathan Vilma | SIDELINE: Shannon Spake

RADIO: 98 ROCK 97.9 FM | PLAY-BY-PLAY: Gene Deckerhoff | ANALYST: Dave Moore | SIDELINE: T.J. Rives

Game day is approaching, and it’s time for the Pewter Report staff to make its weekly game predictions and offer up our game preview of this week’s matchup. Let us know what you think in the article comments section and add your prediction, too.

Scott Reynolds: Bucs Overcome Bad Weather To Beat Browns

Thankfully, the Bucs overcame a slick field and sloppy grass to beat the Seahawks, 21-16, in Germany before the bye week. That game proved to be a good tune-up for what should be a wet, muddy field in Cleveland on Sunday. The forecast is calling for wind and rain with temperatures in the low 50s at kickoff. That’s Cleveland Browns weather, and it could give the home team a slight advantage, especially with the Browns’ top-five rushing attack featuring Nick Chubb. But the fact that Tampa Bay defended Seattle’s potent ground game so well – in addition to prevailing over the field conditions – should give the Bucs some confidence as the team tries to win its third straight game.

Bucs inside linebacker Devin White said he’s in for a 15-tackle game due to the Browns’ strong running game and he’s right. White, who is coming off an NFC Defensive Player of the Week performance against Seattle, will need to have a similar type of effort in Cleveland, especially with Vita Vea likely being a game-time decision. Akiem Hicks will also need to step up and play stout against the run if Vea can’t go. Cleveland’s offensive line will be without starting center Ethan Pocic, but guards Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio are top-notch, and the Browns have a good pair of tackles in Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin. Tampa Bay must be on the lookout for Cleveland’s screen game, which is quite effective.

Offensively, the Bucs will need another great game from running back Rachaad White. Leonard Fournette is dealing with a hip pointer and the rookie may have to carry the ball for most of the game. White and the Bucs offensive line finally got the ground game going in Germany, and with poor weather conditions, they’ll need to take some pressure off Tom Brady and Tampa Bay’s passing game. Look for the Bucs to throw shorter, safer passes with the wind and the rain, and the game might come down to a field goal from Ryan Succop.

REYNOLDS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 20, Browns 17
REYNOLDS’ SEASON RECORD: 4-6

Matt Matera: Bucs Make It 3 Wins In A Row

It’s taken a lot of time and there’s been plenty of bumps in the road, however, slowly but surely the Bucs are starting to look like the team we expected them to be. It starts and ends with complementary football and playing all four quarters. When it comes to defeating a 3-7 Browns team on the road this Sunday, all you have to do is avoid making your own mistakes.

The Bucs finally got their running game going and keeping Rachaad White as the starting running back would be wise. Let White use his elusiveness to break tackles on defenders and gain chunk plays, then you can bring in Leonard Fournette to lay the lumber and punish the defense. Outside of Myles Garrett, the Browns defense doesn’t really get to the quarterback and they only have three interceptions on the season. If they can limit Garrett for most of the game, it’ll give Tom Brady plenty of time to disperse the ball. I’m very curious to see how Julio Jones will look, specifically if he can continue to be a threatening option in the Bucs’ passing game.

All eyes will be on if defensive tackle Vita Vea will be available. Obviously, the biggest assignment for Tampa Bay’s defense is to stop the running game of Nick Chubb. Cleveland likes to run the ball up the middle no matter what situation it is, and that’s where Tampa Bay has struggled when they’ve lost games. This is a huge opportunity for Vea, Akiem Hicks and linebackers Devin White and Lavonte David to prove once and for all that the Bucs have solved all of their problems in the run game. The Browns rely heavily on their best players to score with Chubb, Kareem Hunt and Amari Cooper. You take them out of the game and the Browns won’t be able to stay with it. Even a 20-point performance for the Bucs might just be enough.

MATERA’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 24, Browns 17

MATERA’S SEASON RECORD: 3-7

JC Allen: It’s Another Close Win For The Bucs

This Browns team is the type of team that the 2021 Bucs probably would’ve dominated to the tune of 30-plus points and a comfortable margin of victory. But the 2022 Bucs aren’t the 2021 Bucs, and points are harder to come by this season. Still, this feels like a good chance for Tampa Bay to build on its two-game winning streak. Cleveland will put up a fight, especially playing at home, but Todd Bowles’ team should be able to come in and get its third straight win to get back above .500 before returning home for Monday Night Football next week.

Defensively, the objectives are fairly simple for the Bucs. They need to take away Amari Cooper in the passing game, for one, because the options behind him are lackluster. Don’t let Cooper beat you himself and you’ll feel pretty good about keeping the Cleveland passing game in check. The bigger focus is on the run game, which is where the Browns try to win games. Nick Chubb is one of the best backs in the league and he has an dangerous complement in Kareem Hunt. The Bucs need to limit their effectiveness and make sure they aren’t able to control the flow of the game. If they can do that, they’ll set themselves up in a good position.

One way the Bucs can keep Chubb and Hunt from taking over the game is by keeping them on the sideline. That effort starts with more Rachaad White. The offense needs to lean on the rookie this week, especially with Leonard Fournette dealing with a sore hip. This is a great chance for White to build on his first 100-yard game, as he will likely get the majority of the backfield’s workload against a pretty weak run defense. The Bucs should be able to run the ball against Cleveland, and the fact that they have so many weapons in the passing game should round out a strong offensive showing. The emergence of Julio Jones against the Seahawks was huge, and seeing more from him in addition to what Mike Evans and Chris Godwin bring to the table can lead Tampa Bay to another win.

ALLEN’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 27, Browns 23
ALLEN’S SEASON RECORD: 4-6

Bailey Adams: Bucs Keep It Going With A Gritty Effort

The Bucs’ two-game winning streak before their bye week did a lot to inspire confidence. Beating the Rams, one of their kryptonites, and a good Seahawks team felt like a potential turning point for this team. Tampa Bay is 5-5, leading the NFC South and beginning to figure some things out. With better play at the left guard position thanks to Nick Leverett, more Rachaad White, more contributions from the No. 3 wide receiver spot (whether from Julio Jones or Scotty Miller) and a resurgent run defense, the Bucs are looking a little more like the team they were expected to be in 2022. Now, they need to take advantage of a lighter schedule down the stretch, starting on Sunday against the 3-7 Browns.

Despite its record, Cleveland is no pushover. The Browns have a phenomenal rushing attack that is definitely going to test the Bucs’ gap discipline, especially if Vita Vea (foot) is unable to suit up. Jacoby Brissett has proven to be more than serviceable, too, and you can never overlook the potential for this Tampa Bay offense to make a struggling defense look good. Nonetheless, this is a game the Bucs should win. Cleveland’s run defense is an absolute liability, which means running Rachaad White 20-plus times should be in the team’s game plan. That can open things up for Tom Brady, who has looked more comfortable in the pocket since the introduction of Leverett into the fold.

The Bucs aren’t exactly all the way back, but I think they have enough to beat the Browns on the road and get to 6-5. A win would put them over .500 for the first time since Week 5, plus it would set up a huge showdown with the Saints on Monday Night Football in Week 13. Beat the Browns and Saints to reach 7-5 (and 3-1 in the division) and you have to like your chances of potentially locking the division up before that final contest against the Falcons in January. I think the Bucs do their part here, running the ball well and playing sound enough defense to get out with a one-possession victory.

ADAMS’ GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 24, Browns 16
ADAMS’ SEASON RECORD: 5-5

Josh Queipo: Tampa Bay’s Run Game Gets It Done Again

For much of the 2022 season, the Bucs have been all about trying to #establishtherun and for much of the season, they’ve failed. But last time out, Tampa Bay ran wild in a 21-16 international win over the Seahawks. Rachaad White had a career day, breaking the 100-yard mark and setting the tone for the offense to put up 161 rushing yards. It was the team’s best all-around win of the season, and the ground game played a major role. Of course, a 10-of-15 mark on third downs to Seattle’s 1-of-9 was a big part of the story, too. I say all of that to say this: The Bucs should “run” it back on Sunday against the Browns.

Cleveland’s interior defensive line has looked soft this season, which leads me to believe Tampa Bay’s run game can work for another week. The Browns are allowing 135.1 rushing yards per game in 2022, which is 24th in the league. Seattle’s run defense is at a similar level, giving up 140.9 per game. The Bucs should be able to control the ground game with a heavy dose of Rachaad White, which will work in their defense’s favor as well because it’ll keep Cleveland’s potent rushing attack off the field as well. The Bucs know the Browns will want to control the pace of the game, which is why I think they play some of the same game and take the clock over in their favor.

Factor in the weather conditions with the fact that both teams will be looking to run the ball and we may have a quick, lower-scoring game. Tampa Bay’s offense has a decided edge over Cleveland’s defense, while the Bucs defense and Browns offense line up a little more evenly. The Bucs have started to iron some things out in their last two wins, and I think we’ll see more of the same on Sunday. Give me the Bucs by three, with Ryan Succop’s leg making the difference in another tight contest.

QUEIPO’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 24, Browns 21

QUEIPO’S SEASON RECORD: 6-4

Kasey Hudson: Bucs Might’ve Found Their Turning Point

After the Bucs strung together one of their better games in Munich, there is hope that the team may have found its turning point. The offense finally found the end zone three times and the unit is starting to get healthy again. Tampa Bay has an opportunity to build off of its recent offensive performance as it prepares to face a Browns defense that has allowed 269 points this season.

Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Julio Jones should manage the Browns’ secondary well. While the passing game has kept the Bucs afloat, there is another chance for the Bucs to pick up their run game. Rachaad White is starting to increase trust with the team and was able to pick up 105 rushing yards versus the Seahawks. Leonard Fournette’s hip injury is trending upward and Gio Bernard could be back in the mix. Over Cleveland’s last two contests, the defense has allowed 374 rushing yards. That leaves a chance for White to have another big game.

The return of Akiem Hicks has not gone unnoticed as the defense has been able to contain the run a bit more. We finally saw glimpses of Tampa Bay’s Week 1 and 2 defense over the last couple of weeks. Third down management came up strong, too. If the Bucs defense shows up like they did in Munich, there’s not a big concern in what David Njoku and Nick Chubb will do. If the Bucs are really at that needed turning point, then they should be able to seal the deal in Ohio.

HUDSON’S GAME PREDICTION: Bucs 28, Browns 17

HUDSON’S SEASON RECORD: 5-5

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