After the Jaguars fell to the Titans, the Browns will be off to Houston to play the Texans in the playoffs next week.
The Browns mostly escaped significant injuries but did have some bumps and bruises, as Shelby Harris, Pierre Strong, and Cedric Tillman all left early with injuries.
Tillman is in concussion protocol, and Strong is dealing with a back injury. According to Stefanski, Harris should be ok.
QB Jeff Driskel struggled for the most part but did get two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, both to WR David Bell.
Cleveland treated this game like an exhibition game, on to Houston next week.
Jake Browning threw three touchdown passes, while Joe Mixon achieved a season-high of 111 rushing yards and added a score as the Cincinnati Bengals secured a comfortable 31-14 victory on Sunday. The win came against a Cleveland Browns team that opted to rest most of its starters in preparation for the upcoming playoffs.
Locked in as the No. 5 seed in the AFC with an 11-6 record, Cleveland chose to navigate the final regular-season game with backups, marking their first playoff appearance since 2020 and only their second in the last 21 seasons. Notable starters such as quarterback Joe Flacco, star defensive end Myles Garrett, receiver Amari Cooper, and cornerback Denzel Ward were among those absent from the game.
The Bengals dominated the first half, establishing a commanding 24-0 lead. Browns quarterback Jeff Driskel, signed from Arizona’s practice squad on December 29, struggled against Cincinnati’s defensive regulars until the fourth quarter, where he managed to throw two touchdown passes to David Bell.
Despite facing challenges throughout the season, including the absence of franchise quarterback Joe Burrow, who suffered a season-ending wrist injury in the 10th game, the Bengals finished with a 9-8 record, maintaining a winning record for the third consecutive season. Interestingly, the AFC North made history as the first division since the 1970 merger to have all its teams finish above .500, even though the Bengals had a 1-5 record against divisional rivals.
Joe Mixon’s 1-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter marked his ninth of the season and the 49th of his career, securing the second spot on the Bengals’ all-time list, just behind Pete Johnson’s 64. Mixon also surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the fourth time in seven seasons, finishing with 1,034 yards.
Jake Browning, with a 4-3 record as the Bengals’ starter, threw for 156 yards against Cleveland before being replaced by AJ McCarron after three quarters. Andrei Iosivas contributed with two touchdown receptions. On the Browns’ side, Driskel ended the game with 166 passing yards, 111 of which came in the fourth quarter, along with two interceptions.
At Houston Texans.
If you're a fan of Cleveland sports and want to stay up-to-date with the latest news, scores, and insights on your favorite teams, signing up for the Cleveland sports newsletter is a no-brainer.
Leave a Reply