CLEVELAND — 1:48 p.m./ET-Mixon puts Bengals back in front
Running back Joe Mixon broke the Cincinnati Bengals’ touchdown drought against the Cleveland Browns early in the second quarter of the first meeting of “The Battle of Ohio” at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland Sunday.
After the Bengals settled for field goals on two of their first three possessions, Mixon was able to push the ball across the goal line with a one-yard touchdown run, which gave Cincinnati a 13-7 lead over the Browns with 12:07 to play in the first half.
Cincinnati’s six-play, 57-yard scoring drive was set up by an interception from Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, his second turnover of the game. Unlike the first interception of Mayfield, the Bengals made this one count when Mixon plowed through the Browns’ defense for the touchdown, his third rushing score of the season.
1:34 p.m./ET-Bullock draws Bengals closer with long field goal
Kicker Randy Bullock converted a 44-yard field goal attempt and cut down the Cleveland Browns’ lead over the Cincinnati Bengals to a single point late in the first quarter of the first edition of “The Battle of Ohio” in the 2019 season.
Bullock’s second successful field goal attempt of the game trimmed the Browns’ lead over the Bengals to 7-6 with 1:37 to play in the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
The Bengals’ scoring drive covered 47 yards in seven plays and took nearly four minutes off of the first-quarter clock.
1:23 p.m./ET-Denzel Ward gets “Pick Six”
Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward showed a penchant for making plays on the ball and creating turnovers during his rookie season in 2018, so much so that he earned a Pro Bowl spot, but there was one thing missing: converting those takeaways into points.
That drought, however, came to an end in the first edition of “The Battle of Ohio” in 2019, as Ward took back a first-quarter interception of Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton all the way to the house for the “Pick Six.
Ward’s defensive touchdown, and the ensuing extra point from Austin Seibert, gave the Browns a 7-3 lead over the Bengals with 5:36 to play in the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
On third-and-23 from the Cincinnati 48-yard line, Dalton took the snap in the shotgun formation, looked right and overthrew wide receiver Tyler Boyd on a deep slant route. Ward was there to catch his first interception (and second takeaway) of the season, and the Northeast Ohio native hustled down the Cincinnati sideline untouched on the way to the end zone.
1:08 p.m./ET-Randy Bullock gives Bengals 3-0 lead over Browns
It did not take long for the Cincinnati Bengals to take a lead on the Cleveland Browns in the first edition of “The Battle of Ohio” in 2019.
After the Browns deferred their choice to the second half, the Bengals chose to take the ball to start the game and marched 59 yards down the field in eight plays and just over four minutes, and kicker Randy Bullock capped off the possession with a 34-yard field goal.
Bullock’s kick put the Bengals in front of the Browns, 3-0, with 10:56 to play in the first half.
The Bengals moved the ball well early with chunk plays from wide receiver Tyler Boyd and running back Joe Mixon.
Boyd caught a pass from quarterback Andy Dalton on the first scrimmage play of the game and gained 21 yards. Not to be outdone, Mixon hustled around left tackle on the next play and scampered down the field for a 26-yard gain.
Dalton later found Boyd for a 14-yard gain to the Cleveland 13-yard line.
11:00 a.m./ET-Browns look for bounce-back win after last week’s loss
The Cleveland Browns had little time to sulk about missed opportunities in last Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field because there was another AFC North Division game on the horizon.
Following the loss to the Steelers, the Browns had to regroup quickly and go through their preparations for today’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, who beat the New York Jets for their first victory of the season in Week 13.
“It’s very disappointing, but we ain’t got no choice now,” running back Kareem Hunt said. “We have to move on, look forward to next week’s game, get a win and get back on track.
“Honestly, the difference is the teams who want it done never get down on themselves. Bad things happen, and they just move forward. It isn’t always going to be pretty or perfect. It’s never going to be perfect, but as long as we executed and got the job done, that’s all that matters.”
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb (24) rushes for a 92-yard touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)
AP
The Browns’ playoff hopes took a huge hit with the loss to the Steelers, which dropped them to 5-7 on the season and two games in back of both Pittsburgh and the Tennessee Titans for the No. 6 seed in the AFC. Although the opportunity to win the AFC North Division is off the table, the Browns remain mathematically alive in the postseason race.
With only four games remaining in the 2019 regular season, the Browns know they can ill-afford another misstep and enter this week’s matchup with the Bengals well aware of what is at stake.
“We have to realize that no matter what other things are going on, on the outside, we have to have that singular focus,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “If we do want to make the playoffs, we have to buckle down and win each game from here on out. It is just plain and simple. We can’t have any slip ups and we have to win.”
Defensive back T.J. Carrie added, “We’ve got to win them all, man. You never know in this league. Winning takes care of a lot of things, though, a lot of ifs, buts and ands, so putting our best foot forward and winning them all is the biggest factor.”