Browns (4-12) at Bengals (6-10) Sunday, Jan. 4 at Paycor Stadium (FieldTurf CORE), 1 p.m. ET, TV: CBS Locally WKRC-TV Ch. 12 (Cincinnati) Tom McCarthy (PBP), Logan Ryan (analyst), Amanda Balionis (sideline). Radio: Dan Hoard, Dave Lapham. 700 WLW AM, WEBN-FM (102.7 FM), ESPN1530.
CINCINNATI — Two division rivals who opened the season against each other in Week 1 meet Sunday in Cincinnati in the season finale for both as the Bengals host the Cleveland Browns.
The Bengals escaped with a narrow 17-16 win in Cleveland on Sept. 7 when Browns rookie kicker Andre Szmyt missed an extra point and a 36-yard field goal. Cleveland started current Cincinnati backup Joe Flacco in that game. The Bengals are aiming for a season sweep against their AFC North rival for a second straight year.
The Bengals (6-10) aim to close out the regular season on with their first three-game winning streak of the season after blowout wins over Miami and Arizona in the past two weeks.
The 45-21 victory in Week 16 at Miami followed by a 37-14 romps in Week 17 against Arizona at home marked the first time the Bengals won back-to-back games by a margin of 20 or more points since Weeks 6-7 of the 2021 campaign.
Cincinnati’s offense has exploded in the last two weeks, earning season highs in first downs (29) and net yards (429). On defense, the Bengals sacked the quarterback four times and held the Cardinals to 42 yards rushing.
Still, it has been a massively disappointing season for head coach Zac Taylor and the Bengals, who lost Joe Burrow for nine games to a turf toe injury in a Week 2 win.
“We have to finish this off the right way,” Taylor said. “All we can control right now is what we’ve got in front of us. There’s one game left. We’ve got to go finish this thing the right way like these guys have been doing for us. It’s important to play well in front of our home fans and finish this out the right way.”
The Browns (4-12) enter after their most emotional win of the season, a 13-6 win over archrival Pittsburgh last Sunday in their home finale in Cleveland.
The biggest storyline for the Browns heading into the season finale continues to be star defensive edge Myles Garrett and his pursuit of the NFL single-season sack record. Entering with 22 on the season, Garrett needs just one to pass the 22.5 sacks of Michael Strahan in 2001 and T.J. Watt in 2021.
Garrett said after Sunday’s win over the Steelers that Pittsburgh did everything they could to keep him from setting the new mark held by one of their own stars, even to the detriment of winning the game.
Garrett has traditionally had big games against Joe Burrow and the Bengals, including two sacks of Burrow on Sept. 7. Garrett’s 15 sacks in 13 games against Cincinnati are the most in his career against any opponent.
Shedeur Sanders improved to 2-4 as Cleveland’s starting quarterback, completing 17-of-23 passes for 186 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions. In seven total games played, Sanders has thrown seven touchdowns but has been intercepted 10 times.
“Just staying consistent, taking what they give me,” Sanders said of his development. “Whenever we get off rhythm, get back on rhythm, get back on track. And I think that’s the next part of my game I’m trying to evolve, is whenever either we’re stagnant or some adversity comes, being able to get back on track.”
Sanders said he is blocking out all the noise regarding his future in Cleveland as the starting quarterback for the franchise going forward.
“I can’t think about what other people’s opinion or what they view me as,” Sanders added. “I know the teams that we go against, I know they definitely respect me in a passing game, for sure, but I can’t be accountable for somebody else’s decisions.”
The series: The Bengals lead 56-48 in the “Battle of Ohio” series. Cincinnati has won five of the past six meetings, but the Browns have won nine of the past 15. Home field has been a factor over the series, as the Bengals lead 34-18 at Cincinnati, while the Browns lead 30-22 at Cleveland. Cincinnati has played more games against Cleveland (104) than any foe except Pittsburgh. The Bengals have 111 all-time regular-season games against the Steelers (113 overall, including postseason).
Here’s what to look for:
- When the Bengals have the ball:
Several Bengals have performed at a high level over the past two games, led by franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. Burrow’s totals in the two wins include a 77.8 completion percentage, 614 passing yards, six TD passes and no turnovers, good for a passer rating of 139.0. His top target, five-time Pro Bowl receiver Ja’Marr Chase, snapped an eight-game drought without a receiving TD when he caught a pair of Burrow scoring passes against Arizona. Running back Chase Brown looks to wrap up his career year on a strong note, as he has a combined five total TDs in the past two contests and went over 100 yards from scrimmage in both games. Burrow is the third player all-time with at least 25 games of 300 passing yards and multiple touchdown passes in his first six career seasons, joining Patrick Mahomes (34 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (27). Chase has 13 career games with multiple touchdown receptions, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Lance Alworth (13 games), Dez Bryant (13), Rob Gronkowski (13) and Andre Rison (13) for the second-most games with multiple touchdown receptions by a player in his first five seasons in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (17 games) has more. Chase, who has seven touchdown receptions this season, joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss as the only players with at least seven touchdown receptions in each of his first five seasons in NFL history. Chase has 53 touchdown receptions since entering the NFL in 2021 and surpassed Andre Rison (52 touchdown receptions) for the fifth-most touchdown receptions by a wide receiver in his first five seasons in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice (66 touchdown receptions), Randy Moss (60) and Lance Alworth (54) as well as Dez Bryant (56) have more. Chase can surpass Torry Holt (6,784) for the second-most receiving yards by a player in his first five NFL seasons all-time, trailing only Justin Jefferson (7,432). Chase has 6,741 career receiving yards and is in his fifth career season.
- When the Browns have the ball:
The Bengals have improved in nearly every metric since its Week 10 bye. The Bengals have held five of the last seven offenses they have faced to 20 or fewer points, and their 11 takeaways since Week 12 are tied for the third-most in the NFL. Four different players recorded a sack in last week’s win over Arizona, including the first of rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart’s career.
“The gratifying part for me is that this team has maintained their energy through some really difficult times,” said Taylor. “They really stuck together when people questioned what they were going to see from us. There should be no questioning that. This team is made of the right stuff, and I think that’s the part that I focus on. We have a great group of coaches that have really stuck together and kept coaching, and these players have bought into it and provided tremendous energy for us. The proof is in the pudding these last two weeks on
the field. We’ve got to do that for one more week.”
- Bottom Line:
Assuming Myles Garrett doesn’t completely wreck the Bengals offensive game plan, which he’s shown in the past he’s fully capable of, the Bengals should continue their offensive roll and put on a show for the fans in the season finale. Chase Brown figures to keep the Browns pass rush honest and the Bengals should be able to provide some confusing looks to Shedeur Sanders, who has thrown 10 interceptions in his seven games (six starts).
Bengals 27, Browns 13
