Photo: Getty Images
Final: Browns 21 Bengals 16
With their eye on health for their playoff opener the Bengals rested most of their starters on Sunday and lost to the Browns 21-16.
It was a game best viewed while napping and with a running clock. Joe Burrow and DJ Reader did not even make the trip to Cleveland.
Joe Mixon (Covid-19 list) tweeted during the game and Ja'Marr Chase like a tweet at halftime.
The loss snaps a three-game winning streak and left the Bengals 10-7 for the season.
The Browns, playing many of their starters, swept the season series for the second consecutive season.
Next up: We're on to the postseason. An AFC Wild Card game at PBS.
Record breaker: Ja'Marr Chase broke Chad Johnson's franchise record for receiving yards in a season with two early catches for 26 yards, including a 24-yard that broke the record. He left with 10:30 left in the first quarter and was done for the day with 1, 455.
Offense:
Chris Evans had the Bengals most productive day on offense w/ 59 total yards: 7-35 rushing (5.0) and a team high 4 catches for 24 yards and a TD.
Allen found Evans for a 1-yard TD on 4th and 1 with 2:26 left in the game.
Allen: 15 of 28, 136 yards, TD, 0 INT, 76.2 QB rating....he connected with 8 different receivers.
They drove 14 plays for the FG and 13 plays for the TD.
The makeshift offensive line allowed four sacks of Allen. That's a franchise record of 55 sacks allowed this season.
Rushing attack: Trayveon Williams 9-38 (4.2).
Defense:
Wyatt Ray forced a fumble and Trayvon Henderson scooped and scored it with a 29-yard TD return.
Markus Bailey and Clay Johnston led the way, each with 11 tackles.
32-year old Mike Daniels had a productive day, coming off the practice squad.
The D had a 4th and goal stop at the 2-yard line with the Browns up 14-10 early in the 4th quarter.
Mike Hilton was forced into action for a while after an injury to Vernon Hargreaves. Hilton picked off a pass late in the half.
Hargreaves did return later in the game and Hilton exited.
17 different players recorded a tackle/or assisted on a tackle.
Special Teams:
Backup kicker Elliott Fry delivered a 36-yard field goal that hit the crossbar and rolled over.
Trailing 21-16 after a failed 2-point conversion, the Bengals could not come up with an on-side kick attempt.