Instant analysis: Why Bengals beat Browns
CLEVELAND – It’s really easy to say the reason the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Cleveland Browns was, well, the Browns – but the Bengals essentially replicated the start to their victory over Philadelphia last week to jump out to a 20-0 lead and were able to hold on 23-10 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The Bengals' (5-7-1) offense marched down the field on their opening possession with relative ease to go up 7-0. The defense then forced the Browns (0-13) to punt – the second straight week the defense didn’t allow a first possession score – and the Bengals promptly answered with another scoring drive.
Yes, Mike Nugent missed that point-after attempt, but a dominant opening eight minutes gave the Bengals a 13-0 lead – a margin that moved to 20-0 late in the second quarter – and that was just too much for the Browns to overcome.
Doc: Bengals glad they're not Browns as they play out string
"It makes a big difference," Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. "As you approach the game and approach the series, when you play with a lead, it's a different football game. We haven't done that enough when we needed to this year. We've built two weeks of momentum and we have a big football game at home this week (against Pittsburgh).
It wasn’t a dominant effort for the Bengals, by any means, even after adding a third touchdown in the second quarter to go up three possessions.
Robert Griffin III had all day to throw, and Browns running back Isaiah Crowell ran for 113 yards (thanks to second-half chunk runs of 42 and 30 yards); Andy Dalton was harassed and dropped 4 times by a so-so Browns pass rush, and the Bengals' offense went into hibernation after the 5:06 mark of the first half – but the fast start was all that was needed.
Barely, though.
Bengals DBs on Terrelle Pryor: Trash
After piling up 118 yards on their first 15 plays, the Bengals' offense managed just 137 more over their next six possessions, and the defense allowed 10 unanswered Browns points during that stretch to make it interesting.
But, the Browns just weren’t good enough actually get back in it. With the ball at the Bengals’ 8, Griffin III airmailed a pass out of bounds, forcing a field-goal attempt. Then, needing a stop, the Browns' defense left Jeremy Hill wide open for a drive-starting 18-yard catch-and-run on a drive that eventually led to a Nugent field goal.
In the end, when it mattered, the Browns couldn’t get out of their own way.
"Not a good day for the Browns, obviously," Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson said. "Did not play as well."
BENGALS GAME BALL
Tyler Boyd
Yes, Tyler Eifert was the man with two red-zone touchdowns, but the rookie wide receiver’s key contributions on all three of the first-half scoring drives were huge. First, Boyd picked up eight yards on a 3rd-and-4 play before racing for 39 yards on a reverse to set up the first score of the game. On the second scoring drive, he caught two passes for 30 yards (including an 11-yard reception on 3rd-and-9) to set up the second score.
"He's got a great feel," Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton said. "We are asking a lot of him to make plays and he's making them. I think he's really comfortable with what we are doing, and it shows with the production he has had."
Boyd finished with six catches for 49 yards and added another 40 rushing yards.
"Since the weeks have come along, I've been feeling pretty confident in my role," Boyd said. "When third downs come, I know it's a little bit leaning to me in the slot, to utilize me in the little choice routes or option routes. I feel my ability of knowing the coverage and getting open relaxes (Dalton) a lot and makes it easier for him to make a completion to me."
1. Establish the run
The Bengals haven’t been very good at running the ball all season long – except for the Oct. 23 win against the Browns in which they ripped off 271 yards, easily a season best. Wide receiver Tyler Boyd had a 39-yard run on a reverse in the first quarter, and Jeremy Hill added 38 and a touchdown to average 7.9 yards per carry through the first 15 minutes.
Bengals' run game carries the day
2. No turnovers
A big reason the Bengals were able to race out to a 20-0 halftime lead over the Browns was because right tackle Eric Winston jumped on an Andy Dalton fumble after Browns linebacker Jamie Collins sacked him three plays into the Bengals’ second drive. Cincinnati was already up 7-0, and by not letting that ball get away, the offense was able to keep the drive alive and score again to go up 13-0 after one quarter.
3. Start fast
The Bengals wasted little time in putting their throat on the Browns, taking the opening possession (after the Browns deferred) and marching 73 yards on six plays to take a 7-0 lead. For the second straight week, the defense then managed to prevent the opponent from scoring on its first possession – and for the second straight week, the offense put up another scoring drive for 13-0 lead.
FIVE NUMBERS
0.0
Cleveland quarterback Robert Griffin III’s quarterback rating after the first half.
3.5
Sacks by Browns defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah against the Bengals in 2016 after his 1.5-sack performance Sunday. He has 1.5 in his other 11 games.
4
Consecutive weeks Mike Nugent has missed an extra-point attempt.
15
George Iloka’s second-quarter interception gave the team 15 picks on the year, tying for the league lead with San Diego.
152-40
Combined score of the Bengals over the Browns in the Bengals' current five game winning streak.
370
Days since the Bengals had last won two straight contests. On Dec. 6, 2015 they beat – you guessed it – the Browns to move to 10-2 following a win against the St. Louis Rams.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"That's just not good for football because guys get hurt on plays like that. That's what I was worried about." - Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis on the "rugby" play following a blocked extra point that saw the Browns lateral it several times trying to score two points.
TWEET OF THE GAME
SONG OF THE GAME
It’s the Browns after all, and the Bengals have won two straight games for the first time this season.