The Cleveland Browns took on the Cincinnati Bengals in an important AFC North matchup. With the division being a tight race, this was a must-win situation for both franchises. We take a look at this Browns-Bengals game with some of our Browns Week 9 takeaways in mind.
Although the Bengals were the favorite, they were dominated almost from the jump. The Browns came out looking to prove themselves and accomplished that with a big 41-16 win. Cleveland looked unstoppable on the defensive end, which gave them a huge boost throughout this game.
Offensively, Cleveland did whatever they wanted. Cincinnati had no answers for anything. Even though Odell Beckham Jr. is a talented wide receiver, it seems Baker Mayfield did just fine without him. Additionally, Nick Chubb made a case he deserves an expanded role in the offense. With that said, here are three Browns Week 9 takeaways from their huge win over the Bengals.
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Browns Week 9 Takeaways
3. Browns' defense looked like the real deal
The front seven is the real deal as Myles Garrett is one of the best pass rushers in the league. However, he received a ton of help in this game as the entire Browns defense stepped up. Denzel Ward took one back to the house on a 100-yard pick-six. Cleveland was so good, Joe Burrow looked dazed and confused throughout this game.
If Cleveland's defense can play like this every week, this franchise will be able to get back in the playoff race with no problems. It was an impressive day for the entire unit on Sunday and they should carry that momentum into their next matchup.
2. Baker Mayfield is better without Odell Beckham Jr.
The Browns had more drama in one week than in one episode of “Days of Our Lives.” After the Odell Beckham Jr. fiasco, many believed there was too much outside noise for the team to focus. Cleveland proved the haters wrong and dominated the Bengals all day.
Baker Mayfield looked poised and under control of the offense in this one. He let it fly to Donovan Peoples-Jones and made the right decisions for his team. It's been a joke that Baker Mayfield plays better without Beckham Jr., but now that he's officially off the roster, it's time to assume it's true. Look for the offense to get behind Mayfield as the Browns aim to get back into the playoff race.
1. Nick Chubb needs more carries
Nick Chubb is an amazing running back and nobody will argue otherwise (if they do then they're trolling). He finished the day with 137 yards and two touchdowns, providing the Browns with consistency on the ground all day.
It was an impressive performance, but what's shocking is that Chubb achieved those numbers off of just 14 carries. The Browns continue to give the ball to other running backs on the team when clearly they don't need to. D'Earnest Johnson ran for a measly 16 yards off of eight carries, as Kareem Hunt is sidelined with an injury. Kevin Stefanski has to consider feeding the ball to Nick Chubb more often, as he should be averaging closer to 20-23 touches per game.
Follow Us
Subscribe