Jake Delhomme throws 41-yard TD to Mohamed Massaquoi.
TAMPA -- Observations, opinions and some facts on first quarter ...
• The Bucs opened in a three-receiver formation. The Browns responded with the sub defense -- Marcus Benard was on the field, along with Mike Adams and Joe Haden. The Browns fielded their base defense on second down. Ahtyba Rubin started at nose and Eric Barton replaced Benard at linebacker. Shaun Rogers made his on-field debut on the fifth play.
• The Browns' defense got off the field on the ninth play when Josh Freeman's pass to Kellen Winslow was six yards short of the first down. The Browns used only one defensive lineman -- Rogers -- and rushed Freeman with multiple linebackers.
• The Browns opened the game offensively with two tight ends and Peyton Hillis and Lawrence Vickers, with Josh Cribbs as the lone receiver. Jake Delhomme passed to Hillis off play-action for 16 yards.
• Reggie Hodges' first punt was almost blocked by Tampa Bay. It went as a 34-yard effort.
• On the next Tampa Bay third down, the Browns' rush package sacked Freeman. Rogers was the only defensive linemen in the 1-4-6 alignment. Matt Roth and Benard rushed from the outside, Scott Fujita from the inside. Fujita and Benard shared the sack. Freeman ate the ball quickly after his first read was covered.
• First use of the Wildcat package came with 5:03 left in the quarter. Seneca Wallace entered and Josh Cribbs played shotgun QB. Cribbs' QB draw went for five yards.
• Here's a new formation: Cribbs lined up as the lone back behind Delhomme. Delhomme passes to Hillis for a two-yard loss.
• Hillis made a first down with a 12-yard run on third down on an inside handoff out of the shotgun. Big collision at the end saw Tampa cornerback Elbert Mack's helmet go flying. Hillis was little dinged, too.
• Delhomme made a good throw to Mohamed Massaquoi for a 41-yard TD. There was obvious miscommunication between Tampa cornerback E.J. Biggers and safety Tanard Jackson. Give Delhomme credit for targeting Biggers, who filled in for suspended starter Aqib Talib.
• Freeman made a keeper run into a 33-yard gain when linebacker Eric Barton and defensive end Kenyon Coleman couldn't contain him around the left edge.
• Freeman had to call time when the Browns changed formations on his next third-down play. This time they presented a 2-4-5 alignment with Rogers and Brian Schaefering as the only defensive linemen. After the timeout, Freeman's pass for Micheal Spurlock was broken up by Joe Haden. Freeman never took his eyes off Spurlock upon taking the snap. Tampa Bay kicked a field goal to close the Browns' lead to 7-3.