Bengals vs. Browns: Full Cincinnati Game Preview

Fresh off halting a losing streak, the Cincinnati Bengals hit the road within state borders to visit the Cleveland Browns for part two of the Battle of Ohio Sunday.

The two sides met in Week 9 on Thursday Night Football, where the Bengals posted a 31-10 victory in prime time. Andy Dalton threw for three touchdowns, and the team rushed for 152 yards in the simplistic affair.

After the game, though, Cincinnati went on to lose its next two, as did Cleveland with a bye week between losses. 

For Cincinnati, the chance at a season sweep also offers a shot at 10 wins and further distance between themselves and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the division. Here's a preview of the critical matchup.

Week 12 Results and Recap

Frank Victores/Associated Press

The Bengals picked up an easy win against the Rams.

AFC North Standings

Cincinnati Bengals (9-2)

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)

Baltimore Ravens (4-7)

Cleveland Browns (2-9)

Cincinnati rediscovered its winning ways in Week 12 with a 31-7 thumping of the visiting St. Louis Rams.

Dalton tossed three touchdowns and didn't even have to play the whole game before a scoreless fourth quarter took the game to its final score. Jeremy Hill was the biggest storyline with his 16 carries for 86 yards, a breakout game he's searched for all season.

The defense earned credit, as well, forcing three interceptions and holding talented rookie running back Todd Gurley to nine carries for 19 yards.

Call it the complete performance for the Bengals during a week in which the bottom two teams in the division beat up on one another and Pittsburgh also lost, meaning if Cincinnati beats the Steelers in Week 14, it secures the AFC North crown.

News and Notes

Frank Victores/Associated Press

The Cincinnati defense steals the spotlight this week.

Geno Atkins, Defense Rounding Into Form

In a word, the Cincinnati defense was elite last week.

Geno Atkins gets most of the credit, as he posted his second-highest grade of the season at Pro Football Focus while forcing one sack, two hits and four quarterback hurries.

The secondary benefited from Atkins' form by way of three picks, one of which Leon Hall took back for a touchdown.

The strong form from Atkins has some talking Defensive Player of the Year honors, but at the least, it's a good sign for the Bengals as they head into a matchup with a team down its starting quarterback. More on that in a second.

Tyler Eifert's Status

Last week, tight end Tyler Eifert caught three passes for 40 yards and a touchdown but left the game with an injury late.

ESPN's Adam Schefter followed with details: "Tests on Bengals' TE Tyler Eifert’s neck today revealed no structural damage, but his status for Sunday is in question for now, per sources."

Eifert's status is something to watch as the week goes on. The Bengals need him in the lineup to keep the passing offense diverse, especially if the Browns turn the upcoming game into a typical tough affair between rivals.

Browns Down a Quarterback

Shocker, right?

The Browns lost starter Josh McCown for the season, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer, thanks to an injury suffered in Week 12.

As such, according to the Browns on Twitter, backup Austin Davis will start against the Bengals, not Johnny Manziel.

Davis has 13 touchdowns to nine interceptions over 11 appearances in his career, with obvious implications for both sides this Sunday.

Latest Injury News

Gary Landers/Associated Press

Tyler Eifert is the biggest name on the injury report.

Tyler Eifert (DNP)

This is the biggest concern for the Bengals going into Week 13.

If Eifert cannot go, though, Cincinnati can afford to give him a week off so he's healthy the rest of the way.

Leon Hall (DNP)

The man who returned an interception for a touchdown last weekend simply looks like he's getting a few veteran off days.

George Iloka (LP)

Unless this suddenly degrades to missed practices, expect to see George Iloka on the field this Sunday.

Adam Jones (DNP)

Adam Jones has dealt with injuries for the past month, but he's been improving, not regressing.

Emmanuel Lamur (DNP)

Emmanuel Lamur has an ankle injury, but it's not something that should concern the Bengals. Cincinnati has plenty of depth, such as A.J. Hawk, to help shift bodies around and compensate.

Chris Lewis-Harris (DNP)

Chris Lewis-Harris has only played a major role this year with Jones out. So long as Jones is good to go, Lewis-Harris' status won't be a factor here.

Andrew Whitworth (DNP)

Like every week, nothing to see here as Andrew Whitworth cashes in on an extra day of rest.

• DNP: Did not practice
• LP: Limited in practice
• FP: Full practice

Courtesy of Bengals.com.

Key Matchups

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

The Bengals need A.J. Green to step up this weekend.

A.J. Green vs. Joe Haden, Others

If Eifert cannot go, which may be a strong possibility as the Bengals don't want to risk an injury in a winnable game without him, A.J. Green's importance shoots through the roof. 

Green must be able to win his one-on-one matchups to provide Andy Dalton with a reliable target on most downs. He might have to do this against old rival Joe Haden, too, who might be able to return this week after missing three games with a concussion. 

Regardless, Green will need to shake free and at least open up space on the field for others. His ability to keep the Browns honest through the air, Haden or not, will play a large factor in how much the Bengals struggle in this one.

Cincinnati Defenders vs. Gary Barnidge

Tight end Gary Barnidge is the biggest threat on the Cleveland offense no matter who lines up under center.

Barnidge has a breakout season on his hands at the age of 30 thanks to 55 catches for 758 yards and seven touchdowns.

While he only caught two passes for 35 yards when these teams first met, Barnidge led the team in targets with seven. He's sure to do so again with an inexperienced starter such as Davis under center, so Cincinnati's ability to make Davis go elsewhere will help extend drives or cut them short.

Matchup X-Factors

Frank Victores/Associated Press

Sunday seems like another Jeremy Hill game.

Browns' X-Factor of the Week: Duke Johnson Jr.

The best shot the Browns have at some splash plays to make this a close game comes in the form of running back Duke Johnson Jr.

The rookie out of Miami (Fla.) might be Cleveland's most explosive player on offense. Last week, he carried the ball seven times for 27 yards and caught five passes for 23 yards. He's the type of versatile player who can hurt defenses in various ways and keep pressure off a quarterback.

When Barnidge isn't an option, it should be Johnson who's tasked with taking the ball and moving the chains. 

There's no doubting the rookie has the ability, but he'll need to actually be a major part of the game plan for it to work. 

Bengals' X-Factor of the Week: Jeremy Hill

Hill's aforementioned breakout game might be the start of a trend. 

The Browns are certainly one team capable of helping with said trend considering they cough up a whopping 135.6 rushing yards per game on the ground.

In other words, Hill should have plenty of daylight to bully his way up and down the field this weekend. It's something both he and the team need, too, as Eifert might be out of the picture, and exposing the passing attack to risks against the Browns doesn't make sense.

For Hill, this is a chance to put up more season highs and get into full-blown elite form for the home stretch. It's something the coaching staff undoubtedly wants, too, so expect Hill to receive the ball early and often.

Prediction: Bengals 30, Browns 13

Gary Landers/Associated Press

Cincinnati won't have any problems with Cleveland this weekend.

This is an as-advertised game, folks. 

Most years, the Browns have a shot at sneaking up on the Bengals and making the rivalry interesting. Or in some years, Cincinnati makes a habit of playing down to the competition.

Neither happens this year. The Bengals won't stop firing on all cylinders on the road. Atkins and Co. won't have a problem with a Davis-led offense, and Hill will make easy work of a porous ground defense.

Look for the Bengals to jump out to an early lead and ride Hill, dominating the time of possession and making this a rather boring affair. Cleveland's down and out, on a short week and thinking about the future. Cincinnati's thinking No. 1 seed in the conference.

Prediction: Bengals 30, Browns 13

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of December 2. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.