Bengals (1-11) at Browns (5-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland
TV: CBS
Danny Sheridan’s Browns by 8 ⁄2
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Bengals’ keys to victory: Cincinnati passes on nearly twothirds of its offensive plays, which often lets the opposing defense off the hook in terms of defending the run. If RB Joe Mixon finds early success, it would help neutralize DT Sheldon Richardson and the Browns’ pass rush. WRs Tyler Boyd and Auden Tate need to rack up yards after the catch against a Browns secondary that will miss tackles. The defense must slow down Browns RB Nick Chubb on first down.
Browns’ keys to victory: QB Baker Mayfield has been making smarter decisions with the football of late and getting the ball in the hands of playmaking WRs Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. and RB Kareem Hunt, who has thrived in the passing game. The increased focus on the team’s top offensive weapons has paid off for Mayfield. A pair of rookie specialists, K Austin Seibert and P Jamie Gillan, need to continue their impressive first seasons and not allow the Bengals to gain any advantage on special teams.
Matchup to watch: Bengals DTs Geno Atkins and Andrew Billings vs. Browns C JC Tretter and LG Joel Bitonio. If the Bengals are to have any chance to win, they will need to control the line of scrimmage with their talented pair of defensive tackles. Tretter is one of the most underrated players in the league, and Bitonio is due for another Pro Bowl trip.
Who wins? The Browns have more riding on the game and have myriad paths to victory. Even if one group struggles, Cleveland has enough to compensate elsewhere.
Browns, 31-13 line:
Bengals schedule
L L L L L L L L ....... at Seattle ....... 21-20 .... San Francisco .... 41-17 ....... atBuffalo ....... 21-17 ..... atPittsburgh ..... 27-3 ......... Arizona ......... 26-23 ..... at Baltimore ..... 23-17 ..... Jacksonville ..... 27-17 at LA Rams (Lon.) 24-10 BYE
L ....... Baltimore ....... 49-13 L ...... atOakland ...... 17-10 L ...... Pittsburgh ...... 16-10 W ......... N.Y. Jets ......... 22-6 Dec.8 .... atCleveland .... 1 Dec. 15 ... New England ... 1 Dec. 22 ....... at Miami ....... 1 Dec. 29 ..... Cleveland ..... 1
Browns schedule
L ...... Tennessee ...... 43-13 W ...... atN.Y.Jets ...... 23-3 L ....... L.A.Rams ....... 20-13 W .... atBaltimore .... 40-25 L ..atSanFrancisco ..31-3 L .......... Seattle .......... 32-28
BYE
L .. at New England .. 27-13 L ....... atDenver ....... 24-19 W ......... Buffalo ......... 19-16 W ....... Pittsburgh ....... 21-7 W .......... Miami .......... 41-24 L .... atPittsburgh .... 20-13 Dec. 8 ....... Cincinnati ....... 1 Dec.15 ..atArizona ..4:05 Dec. 22 ...... Baltimore ...... 1 Dec. 29 ... at Cincinnati ... 1