Against all odds, the Cleveland Browns took down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road in Week 2. It was not only the first official win of the Todd Monken era, but also Deshaun Watson's 10th win as a Brown.
It also came on a day when speculation swirled around Watson potentially losing his starting spot. While that may not happen anymore, the Browns played much better on both sides of the ball than they did in the season opener.
The Browns will now head home for their first 2026 game in Cleveland, and they'll do so with several players riding some positive momentum.
Cleveland's first win of 2026 offered plenty of reasons for optimism
Denzel Boston - WR
Boston is the real deal. Once again, the second-round rookie paced the team in receiving yards, while also scoring his second touchdown in as many career games. He's looked dangerous in the open field and more elusive than anticipated.
Boston is the type of X receiver who can make any quarterback look good. Watson just needs to put the ball in the vicinity of the rookie's impressive catch radius. Boston is up to seven catches for 154 yards and two scores, averaging 77.0 yards per game and 22 yards per catch.
Mason Graham - DT
Graham's breakout looks real. He was the defense's lone bright spot in Week 1, and he kept the ball rolling against Baker Mayfield and company. All the hard work on his pass-rushing repertoire is paying dividends, as he's up to two sacks in as many games this season. He also drew a key holding penalty that helped seal Sunday's win over the Bucs.
Graham was already a disruptive force against the run last season, but he's now embracing his role even more. With all eyes set on Jared Verse, the Browns' 2025 first-round pick has been much more consistent in his second year in the league.
Carson Schwesinger - LB
Schwesinger had a weird off-game in Week 1, perhaps the first of his young career. It's not much of a coincidence to see the defense do much better when he bounced back, but that's the type of impact a high-volume tackler like him can have on any game.
The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year had eight total tackles (four assists), one pressure, and was much better in coverage than in the season opener. While he gave up two catches on as many targets, those receptions went for a single yard.
Deshaun Watson - QB
We have to give credit where it's due. Watson has faced plenty of backlash for his subpar play and even worse demeanor. This, however, was probably his best full game as a Brown, not that the bar was high at all.
Watson's uneasy feet and lack of pocket awareness remain concerns, but he found a rhythm on Sunday. He finished the game with 24 completions on 30 attempts for 238 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.
People have been talking about how he needs to shake off the rust for five years now, so one can only wonder whether he just needed this performance to finally play NFL-caliber football again.
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