The record-setting day keeps the Bengals’ postseason hopes alive

The Cincinnati Bengals kept their playoff hopes alive, winning the season series against the Cleveland Browns with a 24-6 victory Sunday afternoon at Paycor Stadium.

With the win, the Bengals solidified their third straight win for the first time this season.

Former Cincinnati Bearcat Jerome Ford started the game strong, scoring the game’s first snap from 66 yards to put the Browns inside Cincinnati’s 10-yard line.

However, four plays later, the Bengals defense made the first of two red zone stands of the game when Vonn Bell knocked the ball out of D’Onta Foreman’s hands at the goal line, giving the Bengals possession.

Cincinnati took full advantage of the fumble, marching 99 yards to score their first points of the game on a spectacular scramble play by Joe Burrow, who threw the ball to Tee Higgins as he fell to the ground, giving the Bengals one 7-yard gain. 0 lead.

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The touchdown pass extended Burrow’s own single-season franchise record and marked his 37th of the year.

After forcing a Browns punt, the Bengals failed to convert a 47-yard field goal by Cade York, who was kicking it for the first time against his former team.

Cincinnati’s defense solidified for the rest of the half after Ford’s big play, holding the Browns to zero net passing yards for the remainder of the first 30 minutes of play.

The Bengals finished the half with 10 points on their last two possessions: a six-yard touchdown reception by Andrei Iosivas just past the halfway point of the second quarter and a 59-yard field goal as halftime expired, tying a franchise record was set.

It took a while for the Bengals’ offense to get going in the second half, as the first three drives of the final 30 minutes ended in punts.

Cleveland scored its first points of the game – a four-yard touchdown rush by Jerome Ford – with 5:50 to play in the third quarter, but Cincinnati picked off Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was on the back for the first time this season – consecutive offensive series (including once in the red zone) to end any threat the Browns were trying to establish.

The Bengals’ only points of the second half came within the two-minute warning, when Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase connected on a 32-yard pitch-and-catch to give the Bengals a 24-6 lead.

Franchise history was written three times in Cincinnati on Sunday. Along with York’s record-setting field goal, Burrow eclipsed the 4,000-yard mark for the third time in his career. He finished the game with 252 yards through the air and three touchdowns, the seventh straight game in which he scored at least three scores.

Chase also broke his own single-season receiving yardage record when he totaled 1,463 yards.

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The LSU product finished the day with six catches for 97 yards and his score in the fourth quarter.

With their struggles this season well-documented, the Bengals’ defense was outgunned against Thompson-Robinson on Sunday, sacking the second-year signal caller five times, limiting him to just 157 passing yards and forcing him into two interceptions.

Cleveland totaled 273 yards and was held to just six points, the fewest Cincinnati has allowed since holding the New York Jets to six points in Week 13 of the 2019 season (one of the Bengals’ two wins this year).

While the Bengals did their part to stay in the AFC playoff hunt, they didn’t get any help in the early going. The Indianapolis Colts, who had to lose one of their three remaining games on Sunday for the Bengals to have a chance at a wild-card spot, defeated the Tennessee Titans.

Next week, the Bengals host the Denver Broncos – who Cincinnati must eliminate to make their playoff hopes a reality. Kick-off is scheduled for Saturday at 4:30 p.m.