Dawgs By Nature
The Battle of Ohio was a tight one from start to finish, as both teams put together lengthy drives. After a series of miscues by receivers and the Browns’ new kicker, QB Joe Flacco still had a chance to lead a comeback. And yet, another drop by a Browns receiver led to a Bengals interception, and a 17-16 win for the Bengals.
The Bengals received the opening kickoff and ran a playaction fake to TE Noah Fant for a completion out to near midfield. Cincinnati then used the ground game to grind out another first down just past midfield. On the next third down, on 3rd-and-4, QB Joe Burrow found a tight window to convert with WR Tee Higgins and CB Myles Harden in coverage.
RB Chase Brown then took the next carry for what would have been a first down, but an illegal formation penalty on the Bengals brought it back. They were still able to grind it out through three plays to convert, and then Brown broke free again on the next play, not being touched until S Ronnie Hickman brought him down at the 5 yard line. On the next play, Brown bounced it off a block, and found an opening to his left for a touchdown, giving the Bengals a 7-0 lead on an opening-season drive that took up half the quarter.
WR DeAndre Carter took the Browns’ opening kickoff out to the 33 yard line, as QB Joe Flacco returned to the field for Cleveland. His first play was a handoff to RB Dylan Sampson for a gain of 5 yards. TE Harold Fannin caught Flacco’s first pass, a quick out, for 5 yards and a first down. WR Isaiah Bond then ended up being the first receiver to catch a pass, as he caught a quick screen and took it 5 yards before being pushed out of bounds. A handoff to RB Jerome Ford got the ball out to midfield, setting up a 3rd-and-3. From Shotgun, the handoff went to Ford again, setting up a long 4th-and-1. RB Rocket Sanders got the ball from the fullback position, and he got enough to move the chains.
A few plays later, Cleveland faced a 3rd-and-3 again, now in long field goal range. Flacco threw it to WR Jerry Jeudy who was locked up short on the outside, and the official threw the flag for pass interference on the defense to move the chains. The next play set them back, though, as Fannin was flagged for offensive pass interference on a quick screen that had gone to TE David Njoku. On 1st-and-20, a pass to Fannin got some of it back to make it 2nd-and-13. Another short pass to Fannin made it 3rd-and-9. On third down, another pass interference penalty was flagged on Cincinnati as Flacco tried to get the ball to Jeudy. To end the quarter, Fannin took the snap from Wildcat and ran it for 3 yards.
2nd...
