The aftermath: Week 12 – Tampa Bay/Cleveland

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17, Cleveland Browns 23 (Nov. 27)

So many questions. 4th and 2, and the Bucs punt. Why didn’t Coach Bowles call time out and give “the goat” a “real” chance of winning or scoring when the Browns were marching down? Why wasn’t there any help on the side of Myles Garrett? Bucs have the top three or top five defensive players in the league!

I have so many questions. I’m sure we all do. Unfortunately, I don’t have the answers.

The Browns are the Browns – and as a fan of the Browns (just continue reading), I’ll say they possess a special sort of skill to find ways to lose a game. It’s baffling. I was on a podcast with a good buddy of mine, Blake Anthony. We chatted about the Bucs vs. Browns, and people who know me know this game was personal for me (I have a lot of Bucs fans on my Facebook page). If you didn’t know, I used to play for the Bucs. It was the team that I played for, I worked for and at the time I was a big fan of.

As it became less business and more personal, I decided to go with a team that I liked. Thus the Cleveland Browns! Why, you ask? I don’t know, I’m a glutton for punishment? Nope! Just went with the underdog.

In this game, the Browns were up, then it was tied, then they were up and then it was tied again. Then the Tampa Bay Bucs went up, and for the rest of the second half it seemed the Bucs were gonna win, and for a Browns fan that seemed about right. Then the Bucs decided to take a penalty on a 4th and 2 when their offense was more or less controlling the game. They took the penalty so they could play field position. Why? How come? We have Tom Brady, sir.

This is the Cleveland Browns. It’s not like they have a Tom Brady, or anyone remotely close on that roster who has enough ice in their veins to march the team down the field for the win as Brady has done so many times. So as a Browns fan, I’m like ‘here we go,’ and as a Bucs fan – which I am any other time – I am saying ‘Here we go defense! Here we go!’ Then it came down to a 4th and 10 ball on the Bucs’ 12-yard line. I am on the edge of my seat. As a Browns fan I am all too ready to face the ridicule from the Bucs faithful on my Facebook page for going against the home team. And plenty of people I don’t know are going to have their two cents to add.

People who don’t care either way are going to join, just because I suffered another loss this season. It’s going to be a long day, but I am going to take it like a man. I’m going to accept it all. I am going to deactivate my Facebook until next week.

No, seriously, I would have accepted it. I am used to it. Then it happened: a one-handed catch by the tight end to tie the game! I was floored. I wasn’t happy, I was just floored. Then I remember saying on the podcast if the game is close the Browns are going to win the game. But as soon as I remembered that, I also realized the Browns had to deal with Tom Brady in overtime. Who bets against Tom Brady?!

The Bucs offensive drives were no good. They looked like a team I didn’t recognize. Tristan gets hurt and Myles Garrett sacks Brady and the Bucs punt. 

Then Christmas came early for Browns fans. The offense went down the field and scored. Game over. 

The good news is the Bucs can still win the division and make the playoffs. To win out would all but guarantee it. They do have the Bengals and the 49ers on the schedule. Let the drama begin! 

Former defensive end Stylez White played for the Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears and Orlando Predators. He was on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense from 2007 to 2010.