First look: Bengals at Browns

The Cincinnati Bengals looked like the team that won their first six straight games by averaging 30 points per game in a dominating 31-7 victory over St. Louis on Sunday afternoon. The run game finally got untracked with 140 yards on the ground, Andy Dalton wasn’t sacked for the first time since mid-October and the defense came up with three interceptions and a sack.

Cleveland is coming off a short week following a soul-crushing 33-27 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on a blocked field goal that was returned for a TD at home. And, incredibly, they lost more players to injury including starting quarterback Josh McCown (right shoulder). The Browns also lost cornerback and 2014 first round pick Justin Gilbert (concussion), who took a violent hit on a kick return.

Johnny Manziel, who was demoted to third string following the discovery of a video that showed him partying during a bye week, did not warm up following McCown’s injury – that job fell to Austin Davis – who promptly brought the Browns back and gave them a chance to win. The Browns defense was mildly effective against the backups who started for Baltimore at quarterback, running back and wide receiver, but they still will enter Sunday’s game as one of the worst in football.

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Browns of note on offense

C Alex Mack

Mack is one of the better centers in all of football and he played well against the Bengals interior in their first meeting. He’s worth watching as Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins is coming off one of his best games of the season (sack, 3 tackles for loss) against the Rams. Mack is good enough to help make up for the weakness to his left in rookie guard Cameron Erving.

K Travis Coons

This is how you know it’s bad, when your kicker is probably the best offensive weapon you have. The first year player out of Washington set an NFL record by converting on his first 18 field goal attempts on Monday night – though he has missed two extra points. But, he’s not really proven as a long-distance threat as his season long is just 44 yards. Of course his 51-yard attempt was blocked at the end of regulation on Monday.

WR Brian Hartline

The seventh-year receiver who once caught 150 passes over a two-year period in Miami has become a more prominent threat the last couple weeks for the Browns, sandwiched around the game against Cincinnati, which he missed with a concussion. Over his last three games Hartline has 18 catches on 31 targets and two touchdowns. But, his work is coming in short yardage situations, as he as only has 183 yards on those catches.

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Browns of note on defense

LB Paul Kruger

The linebacker hasn’t had much help on the front seven, but he also hasn’t been very good after recording 11 sacks a year go. He has just 1.5 to date, and has also made only 20 tackles with no forced fumbles, no passes defended and no interceptions. A week after keeping Andy Dalton clean, there’s no reason for the Bengals offensive line to let the linebacker get into a groove in pass rush situations.

CB Tramon Williams

The Browns secondary was really beat up in their first meeting of the year, leaving Williams as the only established corner to match up against A.J. Green and the star Bengals wideout had four catches for 53 yards. It was Marvin Jones’ turn in that game (5 catches, 78 yards) and Williams can’t cover them both. The 32-year-old corner came up with his first interception of the year on Monday and can be beaten down the field. He also isn’t too interested in tackling anymore, but can get into good position to prevent throws in his direction.

S Donte Whitner

Whitner was one of many Browns to miss the last game against the Bengals with a concussion and he returned to action against Baltimore on Monday to play for the first time since Nov. 1. Prior to that, the former first round pick had made 36 tackles with a half sack and three passes defensed. He also forced a fumble. Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert dominated the middle of the field in Whitner’s absence, so how he matches up on Eifert will be worth watching.

Quick facts

TV: FOX with Justin Kutcher (play-by-play), Matt Millen (analyst) and Peter Schrager (sideline).
Radio: WLW-AM (700), WCKY-AM (1530) and WEBN-FM (102.7).
Line: -7.5
Last week: Bengals beat St. Louis 31-7; Browns lost to Baltimore 33-27.
Projected uniform: White jerseys, black pants.

Notes: Peerless Peerman, Bengals can't clinch

Key numbers

1

Missed field goals this year by Browns kicker Travis Coons, which came at the end of regulation on Monday.

7

The number of Browns backup quarterback Austin Davis. He came into the game and rushed for 7 yards while completing 7 passes for 77 yards on 10 attempts for a 7.7 yards per completion average.

31

League rank of the Browns rush defense (135.6 yards allowed). Only Miami is worse (138.5)

32

League rank of the Browns rush offense (74.5 yards gained), tied for worst in the NFL with Detroit.

42

Percent of third downs the Browns allow opponents to convert, which is also the same percentage by which the Bengals convert on that down.

Connections

• Cleveland’s Donte Whitner and Brian Hartline, both Ohio natives, played their college ball at Ohio State University.
• Browns defensive back Charles Gaines was a sixth-round draft pick out of Louisville and has appeared in two games, on Nov. 15 against Pittsburgh and on Monday against Baltimore. He made five tackles against the Ravens.
• Bengals special teams ace Cedric Peerman spent a month on the Browns practice squad in 2009.