Baker Mayfield vs. Cleveland: Experts release new Browns vs. Bucs Week 2 predictions

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) smiles from the sidelines during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)APBy Pete Truszkowski | Advance LocalMarch of 2022 will go down in history as a franchise-altering month for the Cleveland Browns. The impact is still being felt heavily to this day, four and a half years later. On Sunday, we’ll see Deshaun Watson and Baker Mayfield go head-to-head for the first time since Watson became a Brown. For those unfamiliar, the Browns drafted Mayfield with the first overall pick in the 2018 draft. In his four seasons with Cleveland, Mayfield set rookie records, had a sophomore slump, took the Browns to the playoffs and won a road playoff game in Pittsburgh and then struggled mightily playing through a smorgasbord of injuries. It was a roller coaster ride, and the Browns weren’t ready to commit long-term to Mayfield, despite the fact he was far and away the most successful quarterback they’ve had in recent memory. Cleveland traded for Deshaun Watson, giving up an enormous amount of assets while also giving Watson a record-breaking amount of guaranteed money. Mayfield requested a trade. Since then, Watson has failed to accomplish much of anything with the Browns due to a combination of suspension, injury and bad play. Mayfield has developed into a very solid starting quarterback in Tampa, recently getting rewarded with a $165 million extension. Mayfield, long known for keeping a list of doubters and always carrying the biggest chip on his shoulder, has already admitted he has had Sunday’s game against the Browns circled since the schedule came out. It’s Tampa’s home-opener and Mayfield would like to get the taste of Week 1 out of his mouth, as the QB lost three fumbles in a 33-27 loss against Cincinnati. After Week 1, Cleveland seems like an easy get-right spot for Mayfield. Combine that with the obvious resentment he holds towards the organization that decided he wasn’t good enough to commit to long-term, and the narratives are certainly writing themselves. Before you grab your popcorn, DraftKings has updated the latest odds for Sunday’s Week 2 matchup between the Browns and Buccaneers. Browns vs. Buccaneers: DraftKings odds for NFL Week 2DraftKings Sportsbook offers users many different opportunities to get involved in Sunday’s NFL Week 2 matchup between the Browns and Buccaneers, with markets available on the outright winner, point spread, game total, team scoring and touchdowns.Game linesMarketBrownsBuccaneersMoneyline+350-455Spread+8.5 (-112)-8.5 (-108)TotalOver 41.5 (-110)Under 41.5 (-110)The DraftKings odds point to a lopsided Week 2 matchup, with Tampa Bay expected to win their home-opener as their starting quarterback looks for revenge on the team that gave up on him. DraftKings odds change and update in real time. NFL prediction markets:Local Browns and Buccaneers fans in Ohio and Florida can use prediction markets to trade on NFL football outcomes as an alternative to traditional sports betting. Here are our top options, along with the available promo codes for eligible new users:PlatformNFL Eligible?Sept. ’26 Sign-Up BonusVerified Promo CodesPolymarketYes$50CUSE, MASS, OREGON, SILIVE, CLEVEKalshiYes$25SYRACUSE, OREGONLIVE1, MASSLIVE1, SILIVE, CLEVELANDUnderdogYes$50CUSE, MASS, OREGONNew users registering with the Kalshi promo code CLEVELAND deposit $25 and receive a $25 bonus, creating $50 in total trading funds before taking a position. NFL betting preview: Cleveland Browns vs. Tampa Bay BuccaneersUse the interactive widget below to track the latest spread, total, moneyline odds and implied probabilities for Sunday’s Browns-Bucs matchup in Tampa.Here are the key details for Sunday’s matchup, including the latest traditional odds:Game detailsTeams: Cleveland Browns vs. Tampa Bay BuccaneersDate: Sunday, September 20, 2026Time: 1:00 PM ETVenue: Raymond James Stadium| Tampa, FLTV: CBS, Paramount+NFL info: Stats, rosters and injury reportsNFL standings: Current NFL regular season standingsNFL news: Check the latest updates from the official NFL news siteExpert Prediction: Browns vs. BuccaneersThe experts at Dimers have run over 10,000 simulations of Sunday’s matchup between the Browns and the Buccaneers. The model assigns the Bucs a 75.2% win probability compared with 24.8% for the Browns and lands on a Buccaneers 25, Browns 17 projected final score. That projected margin fits with the 8.5-point spread currently available at DraftKings. Best Bet: Buccaneers Team Total over 24.5Tampa to score 25+ points is our best best. First and foremost, the Browns defense couldn’t stop Trevor Lawrence and company in their opener, giving up 34 points in less than three quarters before the Jaguars lost interest in piling on. On the other side, Tampa scored 27 points against a much improved Bengals’ defense. This was despite turning the ball over four times. Tampa did not punt on offense, and if they held onto the ball, likely would have scored 35+ points. Then, there’s the narrative part of this whole equation where we know Baker wants to score 100 and we aren’t sure the Browns are capable of preventing an ugly number. Player props: Anytime Touchdown probabilitiesPlayerTeamAnytime TD oddsBucky IrvingBuccaneers-130Quinshon JudkinsBrowns+135Emeka EgbukaBuccaneers+160Chris GodwinBuccaneers+180Kenneth GainwellBuccaneers+185Sean TuckerBuccaneers+190Cade OttonBuccaneers+240These Browns vs. Buccaneers predictions, based on sophisticated simulations and current data, can guide you in making informed decisions. Remember to bet responsibly and within your financial limits. For further insights, explore Dimers’ expert NFL predictions and the best NFL bets today, while their in-depth analysis includes NFL picks, NFL props, NFL futures, NFL odds, and the latest NFL news.Conclusion: DraftKings favors Bucs over Browns in NFL Week 2The Baker Mayfield-Browns breakup has favored Baker almost every step of the way, and oddsmakers are expecting that to continue on Sunday afternoon. A lopsided game is expeted, but DraftKings gives bettors multiple ways to approach the opener beyond the outright winner, including spreads, totals, team scoring and touchdown markets. New users can get $200 in bonus bets after placing their first $5 wager. You’ll get $50 in bonus bets every seven days for 21 days. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.New Polymarket promo code “CLEVE” updates $50 referral promo in time for Lions vs. Bills TNF Week 2Kalshi extends $25 promo code “CLEVELAND” for Bills-Lions on TNF in NFL Week 2Guardians surge in AL Central: Polymarket futures shift after White Sox seriesKalshi and Polymarket “sign-up codes” update $50+ promos for Thursday Night FootballData projections like the Buckeyes to bounce back: What Polymarket traders think of Ohio State vs. Kent State Week 3Learn more about our gaming editorial staff.If you or a loved one has questions and needs to talk to a professional about gambling, call the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-589-9966 or the National Council on Program Gambling Helpline (NCPG) at 1-800-522-4700 or visit 1800gambler.net for more information. 21+ and present in Ohio. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler. 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