The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals both suffered tough losses during Week 1, and were looking to bounce back with a win Thursday night. The Bengals unleashed Joe Burrow, and it looks like the Browns might have found an offense. Both teams battled back and forth offensively, but the Browns were able to come out on top, taking down the Bengals 35-30.
Baker Mayfield came out onto the field with a different energy than we normally see from the former No. 1 overall pick. He was on a mission and focused all game long. Mayfield finished the first half 11 of 13 with 169 yards and two touchdowns. He would finish the game 16 of 23 for 218 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Four of those completions went to Odell Beckham Jr for 74 yards and a touchdown, who hauled in a 43-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. Jarvis Landry had three catches for 46 yards and Kareem Hunt caught two passes for 15 yards and a touchdown.
Mayfield’s day was made a lot easier due to Nick Chubb running all over the Bengals defense. Chubb received 22 out of the 32 rushing attempts for the Browns, and rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns.
With 5 minutes left in the third quarter Myles Garrett was able to get a strip sack on Joe Burrow at the Bengals own two-yard line. This set up Chubb’s second touchdown of the night, a
Kareem Hunt took over in the 4th quarter, and finished the game with 10 rushes for 86 yards and a touchdown. Hunt broke off a 33-yard burst, followed it up with a 10 yard run, and then plowed his way into the endzone to put the Browns up by 11.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals didn’t go down without a fight though. Burrow threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns on 37 of 61 pass attempts. Yes, 61 pass attempts, that is correct. Even more impressive was the fact he didn’t throw an interception after throwing the ball that often.
He spread the ball around eight different targets, Tyler Boyd leading the pack with seven receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown. Before his nasty looking injury, C.J. Uzomah was able to catch four passes for 42 yards and a touchdown. Once Uzomah exited the game, Burrow looked to Drew Sample to be the safe valve. He finished the night with seven receptions for 46 yards.
The Browns kept Joe Mixon in check, and never let him find a groove into the offense. He finished the night with 16 carries for just 46 yards and four receptions for 40 yards. Tee Higgins was able to haul in three catches for 35 yards, including this pass that should get Bengals fans pumped for the future.
The Cleveland Browns will hope to carry this momentum, and new found offense, into Week 3 as they take on the Washington Football Team on the 27th. Cincinnati will take the building blocks they got from Thursday nights game, and use them to hopefully win against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3.
