CINCINNATI — The objective coming into this season was for the Bengals to win games. So far, they have done that to the tune of a 5-3 record. And while there hasn’t been major points of uncertainty surrounding this team, the loss to the Jets has created a little bit of unease amongst Bengals fans and makes this Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns a pivotal one that could set the tone for the second half of the season.
The Bengals have made a lot of progress this season, perhaps more than we expected. Sure there were some games we knew the Bengals had a good chance of winning, and, outside of the loss at the Jets, they won the games we thought they would. But they have also showed that they can compete with any team in the NFL and have won two games against teams that have owned them in the past in Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Both wins came on the road, and both wins were by 14 or more points. That’s exceedingly tangible progress, and it has brought on the arrival of the Bengals earlier than expected.
But this game Sunday is so important for so many reasons. First is because it’s the game after the terrible loss at the Jets. We’re going to see if this team is able to bounce back after losing a game they shouldn’t have or whether a loss like that starts a downfall for the rest of the season. Did this team peek in the win at Baltimore? Or are there still more peeks in store for this team this season?
Second, the fact that it’s the Browns I think is a good thing because the Bengals can afford to come out flat like running back Joe Mixon said they did against the Jets. That’s because, like the Bengals, this is a crossroads game for the Browns as well. Their head coach, Kevin Stefanski, said their lives depend on this game and that they’re desperate. So they will come out ready to play. Will the Bengals be able to match that intensity? Beating the Steelers and Ravens on the road is a sign that things may be different this season, but it’s still paramount they beat their in-state rivals especially considering their recent struggles against them, the fact that the Browns had Super Bowl aspirations coming into the season but, now, because the Bengals are the better team and the Browns may be blood in the water.
Finally, the Bengals are on a bye week next week. And with no game to preview and then recap and break down, all we can do is search for talking points that revert back to this game against the Browns Sunday. But more importantly, this Bengals team is much better off going into the bye week with a win, at 6-3 overall and 3-0 in the division with a win over each team as opposed to being 5-4 on the heels of two straight losses including one at home to their in-state rivals and potentially in last place.
The last time the Bengals were 5-3 was in 2018. But it was a 5-3 where you were wondering how good was that team really? As soon as they lost their next game to the Saints 51-14, without A.J. Green, you knew they had lost their magic that they had in the first half of the season. That Bengals team ended up 6-10.
But this team is better, at least that’s what we think through the first eight games of the season. They have shown they are capable of playing with any team in the league. The Bengals team in 2018 got blown out by Kansas City in week seven, showing there was a substantial gap between them and the top of the AFC. This Bengals team has already thrashed one of the AFC’s top contenders in Baltimore. In addition, they went toe-to-toe with the best team in the NFC and maybe the best team in the NFL in Green Bay. This Bengals team has also shown its fortitude to bounce back after a loss, and those are three losses that have been by three points each. They’ve shown that fortitude twice already. Can they do it again on Sunday against the Browns?
Frankie’s Gameplan to Victory
1. Protect. the. Franchise – No further explanation need, Your Honor.
2. Stop the run – The Browns enter this game leading the NFL averaging 161.1 yards per game on the ground, and anyone who watched the first game between the Bengals and Browns last year remembers a Browns rushing attack led by Nick Chubb gashing the Bengals defense for over 200 yards. But this year’s Bengals team is light years improved in the defending the run, ranking third in the NFL allowing just 84.8 yards per game.
3. Get Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd involved – Last week Bengals rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase had the worst game of his rookie season with just three receptions for 32 yards. The good news is Tee Higgins finally burst on the scene with two explosive plays and Tyler Boyd had his first touchdown since week three against the Jets. It’s important for those two receivers to be productive in case Chase has another down performance.
4. Make Baker Mayfield throw the ball downfield – Mayfield is at his best when he has only has to make short, easy throws. When he throws down the field, he is wildly inaccurate. His best downfield threat was Odell Beckham Jr.. Well, he is no longer on the team. If forced to throw down the field, will he be able to connect with Donovan Peoples-Jones, Donovan Shwartz and other skill players?
Players to Watch
Bengals on offense – Jonah Williams and Riley Reiff. Both of the Bengals tackles’ abilities to block Browns edge rushers Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney will be crucial to the Bengals success on offense, especially keeping Joe Burrow upright.
Browns on defense – Myles Garrett. No question here. Garrett is having a monster season, with 10.5 sacks already through eight games. And last year, he feasted against the Bengals with a forced fumble in both games.
Browns on offense – Baker Mayfield. It’s like he’s under a microscope every week, but especially this week after the release of Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham Jr. may have been a distraction to Mayfield’s development, so now we will really see if Mayfield can put distractions aside and lead the Browns to a much-needed win.
Bengals on defense – Larry Ogunjobi. Ogunjobi’s time with the Browns allowed him to go up against the Browns running game in practice every day for three seasons. Having done that, he could have a strong influence in stopping Nick Chubb and the Browns running game on Sunday.
Where this game will be decided – This game will be decided by the Bengals ability to stop the Browns rushing attack. The Bengals have won five of eight games this season so far when they have forced opposing quarterbacks to win the game themselves, without their benefit of a running game. With a much-improved secondary than last season, if the Bengals force Mayfield to throw 40 times on Sunday, they will be equipped to handle him doing so and if throws down field.
Game pick: Bengals 27 Browns 20
Let me be Frank and Cut to the Chase 