The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have fallen to a fourth straight defeat and seventh of the season overall despite a spirited performance against the Cleveland Browns this evening.
Two touchdowns from Mike Evans were not enough for the visitors to get anything from the game as the Browns ran out 22-17 victors at the FirstEnergy Stadium.
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The Browns took the lead with the only points of the opening quarter when Billy Cundiff slotted over a 49-yard field goal, while the kicker added another from 29 yards at the start of the second to double his side's lead.
The Buccaneers were ahead shortly afterwards, however, as Mike Glennon fired a 24-yard pass into the middle of the endzone for Evans to collect.
Tampa Bay extended their lead in the latter stages of the first half when Patrick Murray kicked a 40-yard field goal, but Cundiff reduced the deficit back to one with a kick of his own as the first half ended.
Cleveland regained the lead in the third quarter when Brian Hoyer found a wide-open Terrance West on the right for a two-yard touchdown.
However, the Buccaneers fought back once again and restored their own advantage later in the quarter as Evans hauled in another 24-yard Glennon pass for his second touchdown of the day.
The momentum shifted back in Cleveland's favour in the fourth quarter as Hoyer looped a 34-yard pass over the top for Taylor Gabriel, who had beaten his man and made an easy catch in the endzone.
The attempted two-point conversion was unsuccessful, but it proved to be enough for the win anyway as the hosts held out in the closing stages for a second consecutive victory that takes them to 5-3 for the season.
Barney Corkhill
