The Cleveland Browns used a conservative and time consuming offense led by their running game, to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 24-3 at Paul Brown Stadium. The win over the Bengals (5-3-1 overall, 2-1 AFC North) was the Browns’ first victory at Paul Brown Stadium since September 28, 2008. This win was huge for the Browns (6-3 overall, 2-2 AFC North) as not only was this game an important AFC North Divisional matchup, but the Browns are in the midst of a possible playoff run.
Yes, the Browns haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2002 season, which in today’s generation might as well have been a lifetime ago. But something good is brewing in Cleveland led by their first year head coach Mike Pettine. For the better part of the last 15 football seasons or since the franchise has existed as the new Browns, the word playoffs and Browns didn’t belong in the same sentence. As of November 6, 2014, the Browns are thinking of winning one game at a time, making a run at the playoffs and of course having something to say about the AFC North title.
Now back to the game. The Browns used 170 yards rushing on 52 carries (3.3 average) and 3 scores to aggravate and irritate the Browns defense. That running game was led by rookie running back Terrance West who carried 26 times for 94 yards and 1 score. West is a budding star; his running style mixed with determination, speed, and opportunism will make people care about the Browns or at least pay attention to them. He’s that good.
What also helped the Browns cause is that their gifted cornerback Joe Haden put the clamps on Bengals star receiver A.J. Green (he had just 3 catches for 23 yards), and made their other receiver Mohammed Sanu (just 2 catches for 20 yards) try to beat the Browns secondary. And surprise, surprise that circumstantial method didn’t work.
This game was another exercise in the fact that when Green doesn’t have a good game then quarterback Andy Dalton (10 of 33 for 86 yards, 0 touchdowns and 3 interceptions) and the rest of the Bengals offense are just as lively as a unclothed store mannequin.
The Browns jumped out to a 7-0 lead, when running back Ben Tate crashed through the middle of the line and then through a Geno Atkins attempted tackle on his way to a 4 yard touchdown run. That score took place with 10:40 left in the first quarter.
Browns rookie running back Isaiah Crowell added to his teams’ lead, when he followed a John Greco block into the end zone from 2 yards out. It was 14-0 with 13:09 left in the first half.
On the Browns’ third scoring drive, tight end Gary Barnidge (2 catches for 46 yards) put together one of the better plays of his season when he ran down field and then at the last second, caught a Brian Hoyer (15 of 23 for 198 yards, no scores and no picks) pass between two defenders. Barnidge took that pass a few yards until he was tackled at the CIN 3 by safety George Iloka.
That 28 yard reception by Barnidge set up a 1 yard dive into the end zone touchdown run by West. It was 24-3 Browns with 4:36 left in the third quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter, Sanu tried his best to ignite his team with an 18 yard reception to the CLE 41 yard line. On the play he was actually held by the bottom of his jersey by Browns cornerback K’Waun Williams, but Sanu broke away and secured Dalton’s pass.
But that reception ended up going for naught, as Browns cornerback Buster Skrine (2 tackles and 2 interceptions) intercepted Dalton at the CLE 27 and returned the theft 30 yards down the left sideline to the CIN 43.
At the end of the drive that the interception set up, Skrine sort of felt like Sanu did. Because Browns placekicker Billy Cundiff came in to kick a 44 yard field goal that ended being no good due to some winds coming from the Ohio River and the area that surrounds the stadium.
For the remainder of the game the Bengals offense couldn’t solve the Browns’ obvious and subtle blitzes and opportunistic play on defense.
The football world was waiting for rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel to take over for Hoyer late in the game, but it wasn’t to be. It’s games like this that show that Pettine is satisfied with Hoyer and the way their offense is going.
