NFL Week 1 Game Recap: Cleveland Browns 24, Cincinnati Bengals 3

The Cleveland Browns defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 24-3 to open the season with a win in the AFC North.

A defensive battle in the first half, the Browns led 10-0 thanks to a Deshaun Watson 13-yard touchdown run and a Dustin Hopkins field goal, with the Bengals punting the ball seven times in the opening two quarters.

The Bengals struck first in the second half, with Evan McPherson hitting from 42 yards out to put them on the board after a drive boosted by a pass interference penalty, but he missed from 51 later in the third quarter. 

A three-yard touchdown pass from Deshaun Watson to tight end Harrison Bryant would put the Browns up by 21 early in the fourth quarter before the Bengals decided to look toward next week and rest Joe Burrow for another day.

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Offensive spotlight: Both passing offenses struggled heavily in this game. Joe Burrow went just 14-for-31 for 82 yards with no touchdowns. Deshaun Watson had better numbers, going 16-for-29 for 154 yards and a touchdown but had an awful interception in the third quarter, throwing the ball right at Bengals defensive back Dax Hill.

The Browns had more success on the ground though, with Nick Chubb rushing for 106 yards on 18 carries and another 100 yards coming from the combination of Watson, Jerome Ford and Elijah Moore. Ultimately, the ability to lean on their ground game was a big reason why the Browns were able to outlast the Bengals here.

Defensive spotlight: There might not be a lot of flashy stuff in the box score for any individual on the Browns defense, but they performed well at pretty much every level. Grant Delpit registered a tackle for loss and a pass breakup, which came on a deep pass to Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins, who was held without a catch on eight targets. Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II each had a pass breakup while Myles Garrett and Ogbo Okoronkwo recorded a sack.

Hill was the standout for the Bengals, with two tackles for loss to go along with his interception, but linebacker Germaine Pratt was a standout too, with a pair of tackles for loss of his own, a sack and a forced fumble.

Rookie spotlight: Browns right tackle Jack Conklin was carted off due to a knee injury, with rookie Dawand Jones replacing him in the lineup. Jones was solid in pass protection from our first pass at grading the game.

Myles Murphy and DJ Turner, first and second-round picks back in April’s NFL Draft, saw time on defense for the Bengals, with Turner recording a tackle resulting in a defensive stop.

Box Score

Passing

Rushing

Receiving

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