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Cincinnati Bengals (0-1)
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Cleveland Browns (0-1)
Cleveland 35, Cincinnati 30
Admittedly, when I saw the match-up between the two Ohio teams scheduled for this Thursday game, I was thinking that it would likely be a dull game between two teams that have been struggling in recent years.
Boy, was I wrong!
This game wound up highlighting some incredible offensive fireworks, which ultimately saw the Browns outlast the Bengals, 35-30. It may very well have been Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield’s breakout game. Certainly, it was exactly the kind of punch in the arm kind of game that might get the Browns season going again.
Cincy actually got on the scoreboard first with a field goal, but the Browns were able to respond with an 11-yard touchdown run by Nick Chubb later in the first quarter to take the lead.
The absolute highlight from this game was a picture perfect 43-yard touchdown pass by Mayfield to Odell Beckham, which gave the Browns a comfortable 14-3 lead. It kind of set the tone for the shootout to come the rest of the way. The Browns took a 21-13 lead into the locker room with them by halftime.
In the third quarter, the Browns had a chance to seemingly take an insurmountable lead, as they were near the goal line, and just seemingly had to punch the ball in there. But they made that look like Mission Impossible, and the Bengals defense enjoyed a goal line stand, denying the Browns a touchdown that would seemingly almost lock up the game.
Yet, the Bengals are a team that had earned a reputation for missing opportunities for a reason. Just a couple of plays later, Joe Burrow lost the ball very deep in his territory, giving the Browns yet another opportunity for a touchdown. Chubb again pounded it in, scoring a one-yard touchdown to give Cleveland a 28-13 lead.
To the credit of the Bengals, however, they kept going, scoring a field goal a few minutes later, and then getting a touchdown in the fourth quarter with a four-yard touchdown pass by Burrow to Mike Thomas to pull to within 28-23.
Yet the Browns themselves once again flexed their offense muscle, managing a six-play, 75 yard touchdown drive that culminated in a one-yard touchdown by Kareem Hunt, which almost iced the game.
Almost.
But the Bengals again responded with an impressive 16-play, 75-yard drive which ended with another Burrow touchdown pass, this time a nine-yard completion to Tyler Boyd, pulling within 35-30. Moments later, however, the Browns finally iced the game by recovering the onside kick, and then running out the clock.
Overall, Mayfield completed 16 of 23 passes for 219 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. Running back Nick Chubb added 124 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries, and also enjoyed some real highlights in this game. Kareem Hunt also added solidly to Cleveland’s running game, with 86 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries.
On the losing side, Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow set a record for most pass attempts by a rookie quarterback, completing 37 of 61 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions. The Bengals running game, on the other hand, was hardly a strong factor in the game, collectively picking up just 68 yards on 24 carries.
The win improved Cleveland’s record to 1-1, and they next host Washington. The Bengals drop to 0-2, and will travel next to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles.
My prediction: Accurate
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