Bengals. Browns. The Jungle. The Dawg Pound. Since their first meeting in 1970, these two teams have battled and punished each other in some of the most entertaining games in NFL history. Cincinnati holds the all-time lead in the rivalry right now, with a 52-47 record against the Browns, but Cleveland has won five of the last six meetings. And for as great as Joe Burrow is, Cleveland has had his number so far in his career, winning four out of five against him.
That statistic still makes me scratch my head to this day. Burrow is one of the Top 3 quarterbacks in the NFL right now. Not to mention other than when the Browns made the Playoffs in 2020, Cleveland hasn’t been a good team. But somehow, there always seems to be a great chance that the Browns will perform at a very high level whenever they play the Bengals.
I’m a diehard Browns fan. But my mother, who is a lifelong Bengals fan, put this confusion into words last year. After Cleveland smoked Cincinnati on Halloween night at home, she was absolutely fuming. She was like, “I just don’t understand it. Why can’t we beat Cleveland? It seems like everybody else does!”
I love my mother to pieces, but hopefully her frustration and confusion continues at least for one more game. But in order for that to happen, the Browns will need to do a number of things to start off on the right foot today. Let’s take a look at the Keys to Victory!
Get after Joe Burrow!
I don’t care if Cincy’s gunslinger just inked a massive deal and secured the bag. If Jim Schwartz and this Browns defense can get a good pass rush brewing up front, all the money in the world won’t save Joe Burrow from having another bad day on the shores of Lake Erie.
The Bengals are obviously always keeping tabs on Myles Garrett like they should. But now they’ll have to worry about Za’Darius Smith, another pass rusher that the Browns acquired from the Minnesota Vikings in a trade four months ago. Cleveland has always been looking for that bookend #2 pass rusher to put on the line opposite Myles Garrett, but so far it’s been a revolving door at that position.
But Smith racked up 10 sacks for the Vikings last season. If he has another season similar to that, that likely means great things are happening for the Browns defensive line. If the Bengals are too focused on shutting down both Garrett and Smith, that will free up Jordan Elliott, Shelby Harris, and Ogbo Okoronkwo time to get home and finish the play by bringing Joe Burrow down.
Usually I talk about the Browns racking up a certain number of sacks as an indicator of success. But for today, I think the biggest indicator of success is pressuring Joe Burrow and making him consistently uncomfortable. If the Browns can make him uncomfortable, take him out of his rhythm and force him into making rare bad decisions with the ball, the sacks will come. If the Browns rack up at least a pair of sacks though, that’s a clear sign they’re getting something brewing up front.
In addition to that, if the defensive line is having a great day, that also opens things up for a talented secondary to be a bunch of ballhawks. With Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome, MJ Emerson, Juan Thornhill and other defensive backs on the roster, the Browns have plenty of opportunities to make plays in the back end of the defense if given the chance.
Establish a good offensive rhythm, and play a smart game
This is perhaps the most intriguing part of the game for me. I’m not entirely sure what to expect. Yes, we know Nick Chubb is arguably the best running back in the NFL, and the Browns should use a heavy dose of him today like always. But the Browns look like they’re expecting Deshaun Watson to revert to his old self, and so they’re tailoring the offense with that in mind. This means taking deep shots when they’re there, moving the ball with screens to pass catchers in space, and just being more explosive and unpredictable.
I love old school football. I love watching the running back just pound on opposing defenses. But the game has opened up, and it’s time the Browns do the same. If the Browns play mistake-free football, consistently mix the run with the pass, get a good flow going, and Watson takes shots when they present themselves, there’s no reason Cleveland can’t light it up in this area of the game. They have too much talent not to. Amari Cooper, Marquise Goodwin, Elijah Moore, David Njoku and DPJ are a nice complement of weapons for Watson to throw to. And don’t underestimate Nick Chubb’s abilities as a pass catcher in space either!
Get off the field on third down!
The Browns have plenty of talent on the defensive side of the ball. Even Stevie Wonder can see that. But it won’t matter if they can’t consistently get off the field on third down. If the Browns defense allows Joe Burrow and the Bengals to extend plays and extend drives, that’s just asking to get torched. Cincinnati has an incredibly explosive offense when they’re playing at their absolute best. They don’t need any help from defensive mistakes by the Browns that allow them to continue drives.
A lot of people went crazy when the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson. But I’ll be going crazy when the Browns consistently find ways to get off the field when it matters most, and when the defense shuts games down late!
The Browns and Bengals are set to renew their classic rivalry. Everything is up for grabs for both teams. A winning season, an AFC North title, a shot at the Playoffs, and a chance to make this the year they bring home that coveted Lombardi Trophy. But it all starts here. Week 1!
GO BROWNS!
Channel/Time: 1 PM on CBS
Picture Credit: lineups.com
