Baltimore Beatdown
If the Browns were going to pull off an upset last week, the formula was clear: make the game ugly and dominate defensively. That’s exactly what they did in their 13-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. After jumping out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, the Browns sputtered offensively for the rest of the game. Their defense, however, put forth their best performance of the season — much to the delight of the grateful Baltimore Ravens.
The Browns had no problems clamping down on Steelers’ D.K. Metcalf-less offense, allowing less than 300 total yards and 3.9 yards per play across 65 total plays. They allowed only third down conversions on 15 attempts and were perfect on fourth down and in the red zone — including a last-second red zone stand where they forced four straight incompletions.
On the other side of the ball, the Browns struggled themselves, but their stalwart defensive effort was enough to shoulder the load. To close out the season on another high note, the Browns will need to slow down a much more potent offensive attack against the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday. The Browns are winless in this division rivalry dating back to 2023 having lost each of the last four meetings.
Myles Garrett needs one more sack to make NFL history and break the single-season record, which he did not secure last week. Win or lose, it would be great for the Browns to see an encouraging closeout performance from Shedeur Sanders and some of their other young talent.
The Bengals earned a second straight lopsided win last week, drubbing the Arizona Cardinals by 23 points while pouring in 37 points of their own. Cincinnati’s offense and defense were both clicking on all cylinders, which has rarely happened at the same time this season. While the Cardinals’ defense is a poor overall unit, this was another reminder of the Bengals’ elite offensive potential when at full strength.
Joe Burrow threw for 300+ yards and multiple touchdowns again. They totaled over 100 rushing yards, gained 29 first downs, and won the time of possession battle by over 20 minutes. Even more encouraging, perhaps, was their defensive effort against a capable Arizona offense. The Bengals allowed only 233 total yards, 12 first downs, and 42 rushing yards — with an 81% success rate on third down as well.
They’ll be in good position to close out the season with a third straight win this Sunday against the Browns and finish 7-10 overall. However, as we saw last week, Cleveland should not be underestimated given their elite defensive ability. The Browns won this matchup in the season opener, as the Bengals narrowly escaped with a one-point win.
For Burrow and company to have another big offensive outing in the season conclusion, it’d be a nice vote of confidence and optimism heading into an offseason of potential big changes for the franchise. The Bengals have had the Browns’ number...
