Browns vs. Bengals: Full Cincinnati Game Preview
The Cincinnati Bengals have shown a knack for performing well late in games to secure wins, but now they have to tackle a different animal—surviving a short turnaround for a Thursday Night Football affair.
Call it the next item on the checklist for the 7-0 Bengals. Last year, Andy Dalton and Co. won the Sunday before a Thursday game, only to return home and welcome the Cleveland Browns to town before taking a 24-3 thrashing.
Surprise—it's the same scenario with the Browns in town Thursday night.
Within, let's take a look at everything worth knowing about the contest.
Week 8 Results and Recap
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AFC North Standings
The Bengals not only kept their record pristine this past weekend but shoved the Pittsburgh Steelers back to .500 and essentially wrapped up the division barring a miracle.
It wasn't the dominant performance some may have wanted, but a win is a win in the AFC North. Dalton threw a pair of interceptions and looked shaky in the pocket all day, but he put together a game-winning drive when it mattered most.
Quarterbacks have bad games, of course. Perhaps more interesting was the coaching staff's decision to run it just 16 times with running backs.
On defense, Vontaze Burfict returned and looked great, and the secondary forced three interceptions. Once again, though, the run defense looked to be a weakness, which Cleveland will attempt to exploit Thursday.
With the division seemingly in hand, the Bengals simply have to put their heads down and keep plugging away. There are bigger goals in mind now, and it starts with yet another possible conference win.
News and Notes
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Banged-Up Browns
Whereas the Bengals are a shining model of health, the Browns might just be the exact opposite.
According to ESPN.com's Pat McManamon, the Browns will be without both Joe Haden and Donte Whitner in the secondary Thursday, which is terrible news going into a road encounter.
Also on the injury report and unlikely to play? Wideout Brian Hartline, who suffered a concussion after breaking out with two touchdown catches this past weekend.
It's terrible news for the Browns all around, but for the Bengals, a weak secondary and fewer weapons to worry about is a good thing.
Dalton Is Focused
Dalton's cool demeanor this year has helped the Bengals overcome some serious obstacles, but it's also helping on the buildup to Thursday's game.
Long story short, he isn't worrying over that aforementioned terrible outing on a Thursday last season against these same Browns. He spoke with ESPN.com's Coley Harvey about the black eye.
"Well, it obviously wasn't my best game," Dalton said. "It was a one-time thing. You can't let anything like that creep into your head because we are in a much better place now than we were last year. You have to do whatever it takes to play the best game that we can play."
Why would Dalton and the team worry about it? The loss will be one of the biggest talking points until kickoff, and maybe longer than that. But past talking points have morphed into successful leaps of hurdles this year so far, and it doesn't sound like Dalton expects anything different this time around.
Here's Johnny
On a short week, the Browns get most of the headlines as they struggle to win and stay healthy. Cincinnati doesn't have either of those problems.
Perhaps the most notable piece of info about the game? Quarterback Josh McCown won't be able to give it a go, which means the Browns will start Johnny Manziel, according to Rand Getlin of NFL Network.
The Bengals bullied Manziel last year in the 30-0 win, and the globe hasn't seen much of Johnny Football since.
Cincinnati's improved rush this year figures to give the sophomore some problems. Look for the Bengals to come out aggressively.
Latest Injury News
3 of 6| Player | Position | Status |
Carlos Dunlap | DE | LP |
Andre Smith | OT | DNP |
Rey Maualuga | LB | DNP |
- DNP: Did not practice
- LP: Limited in practice
- FP: Full practice
On a short week, it wouldn't be a shock to see the Bengals rest the three players who left the team's Week 8 game with injuries.
Against the depleted Browns, the Bengals can roll out Vincent Rey at linebacker and Eric Winston at tackle if necessary. Even Carlos Dunlap could take a seat for a week thanks to the depth of the defensive line.
In other words, the Bengals couldn't have received a few issues at a better time.
Courtesy of Bengals.com.
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Key Matchups
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Cincinnati Running Backs vs. Browns Defense
As mentioned, Cincinnati hardly used Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard this past weekend.
There's a thought process that suggests the approach was by design.
Whereas Pittsburgh struggles against the pass, the Browns are the league's worst against the rush. The Cleveland defense ranks dead last in the NFL at 147 rushing yards allowed per game.
This would be a great week for the Bengals to rediscover their run-first ways. It will keep the Browns offense off the field, limit the exposure to a unit that now features a few injuries and allow a backup offensive tackle to get grinding downhill on the ground.
Besides, Hill needs to rediscover his confidence as a runner for the second half of the season. There's no better time to do it.
Cincinnati Defenders vs. Gary Barnidge
Gary Barnidge is a problem for the Cincinnati defense.
Really, he's a problem for any defense. Despite being 30 years old, Barnidge has had something of a breakout season this year, catching 40 passes for 567 yards and six scores.
Cincinnati traditionally struggles with containing opposing tight ends, a problem directly tied to the athleticism of linebackers or a safety's ability to keep up. Vontaze Burfict's return last week didn't help in this regard either, as Pittsburgh's Heath Miller led his team with 10 grabs for 105 yards.
At this point, Barnidge is a bigger threat than Miller and can give the Bengals defense nightmares if they don't lock down the position.
Matchup X-Factors
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Browns' X-Factor of the Week: Johnny Manziel
Obvious, right?
Nobody on the Cleveland defense would get the nod in this matchup, especially not with all the injuries. Ditto for any of the team's struggling running backs.
The pressure falls on Manziel's shoulders. If he can make good decisions, escape the pocket and make plays down the field with his arm and legs against one of the league's top rushes, the Browns can keep this one close.
It's all about keeping the Cincinnati offense off the field. Or his defense off the field. Either way works. For Manziel, it's a short notice that a chance for a starting gig is up for grabs.
Bengals' X-Factor of the Week: Vontaze Burfict
The Cincinnati running backs are important, but the offense can get one-dimensional and still win games, for better or worse.
Burfict and the defense don't have the same luxury.
Against a quarterback who can break contain and go deep with Travis Benjamin or up and short with Barnidge, Burfict needs to be all over the field making plays, especially if Rey Maualuga ends up sitting out.
As the man who is responsible for covering the gaps left by the impressive pass rush, Burfict needs to make his impact felt right away just like he did in Pittsburgh.
If not, an occasionally explosive Browns offense could gain confidence on the road.
Prediction: Cincinnati 24, Cleveland 17
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If the Browns had a full week of preparation, this one might be a bit closer.
The short week is a problem for the Bengals too, though. Like the Browns, Cincinnati players haven't had a normal rest period or the ideal amount of prep. It's not like there is bountiful tape on the quarterback they have to face, either.
The good news? Cincinnati is better at almost every position on the field. The Browns came out angry a week ago after trade rumblings and played well but still lost. It's going to be the same thing here—divisional opponent and upset one year ago or not. Cleveland cannot contain the run, its best secondary players will watch from the sidelines, and an erratic sophomore will take snaps under center.
A run-first approach by Cincinnati will prevent this from being a blowout, but it won't be as close as the scoreboard suggests, either. Staying healthy might be as big of a victory as an actual win for the Bengals.
Prediction: Cincinnati 24, Cleveland 17
Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of November 3. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
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