CINCINNATI — For the first time in three years, Cleveland came out on the wrong end of the "Battle of Ohio."
The Cincinnati Bengals vanquished the Browns Sunday by a final score of 23-10. The loss drops Cleveland's record on the season to 5-8, putting their already slim playoff hopes in jeopardy.
In his second start following an 11-game suspension amid allegations of sexual misconduct, quarterback Deshaun Watson improved from his rough debut a week ago, completing 26-of-42 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown. However, the 27-year-old also threw a costly interception and missed several throws on third and fourth down, still showing much of the "rust" that comes from not playing in almost two years.
The Browns' running game was also bottled up, with Nick Chub managing just 34 yards on 14 carries. Despite those struggles, the main culprit for Cleveland's failures on this day was unnecessary penalties — nine for 98 yards in all, including four on a single drive that helped set up a Bengals touchdown.
Cincy QB Joe Burrow overcame a slow start to pass for 239 and two scores along with an interception. It's the former No. 1 overall pick's first career win over the Browns, snapping an 0-4 mark that began his rookie year in 2020.
The defeat, coupled with a win by Baltimore over Pittsburgh, also officially eliminated Cleveland from AFC North contention. The best the Browns can finish this season is 9-8, with either the Bengals or Ravens will be at least 10-7 since both are currently 9-4 and will face off in Week 18.
Now likely needing to win out to have any shot at the postseason as a wild-card entry, the Browns will come home to face the hated Baltimore Ravens in a special Saturday showdown. It will be Watson's first outing for Cleveland in front of the fans at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show has your instant reaction to today's loss: