Tampa Bay Buccaneers star quarterback Baker Mayfield has drawn more ire than head coach Todd Bowles, who was on the hot seat even before the 2026 NFL regular season began, after the Bucs tough 33-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on the road in Week 1.
But Bowles is not someone with a long leash, and it is only a matter of time before the criticism comes raining in thick and fast again. Nothing less than a thoroughly convincing win will do for Bowles and the Bucs this coming Sunday against the lowly Cleveland Browns, who were completely destroyed by former Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen's Jacksonville Jaguars last week.
After facing Joe Burrow in the season opener, the Bucs will be going up against a much less daunting quarterback in Week 2, as Deshaun Watson figures to start again despite another truly putrid performance in every sense and every phase for the AFC North side last weekend vs. Jacksonville.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pass rush must improve in Week 2
Whereas Burrow picked apart the Buccaneers defense and did an incredible job of quickly getting the ball out of his hands - and especially into the waiting hands of tight end Mike Gesicki - Watson has been the opposite of quick and decisive under center for the Cleveland Browns. And he looks like his feet are stuck in mud whenever he is under duress and flushed out of the pocket by the pass rush.
As for the Buccaneers, their pass rush has as much to prove and faces nearly as much intense criticism as Deshaun Watson, who is probably the most despised player in the entire NFL at this point.
Watson is an even bigger negative as a quarterback than the pass rush is for the Buccaneers, and if there were ever the perfect bounce back team for this unit to face and a perfect opponent for rookie outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr. to make a statement against after a very quiet NFL debut, then it would be the Browns and Watson.
Todd Bowles has so many critics and faces criticism for so many different ills since becoming the Buccaneers head coach years ago, but his biggest right now is the pass rush. He has gotten no development out of the talented Yaya Diaby, and Buccaneers fans are seriously worried the same fate could befall Bain on Sunday vs. the Browns and the horrid Watson is the perfect opportunity for Bowles to generate some pass rush and show that he can get this unit right in 2026.
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