The Cleveland Browns crushed the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, winning by a final score of 24-3. Myles Garrett and Cleveland's defense performed especially well, consistently placing pressure on Joe Burrow and Cincinnati's offense. Burrow endured a forgettable game to say the least as a result. The Browns also had extra motivation after Ja'Marr Chase previously called out the city of Cleveland. Garrett reacted to Chase's comments following the victory.

“You know, ‘Cleveland is Cleveland.' Well, we’re going to make that a great thing instead of what they’re trying to make it out to be,” Garrett said of Chase's previous “Cleveland is Cleveland” comment, per Mike Florio of PFT. “We know what we could do. We know what we’re capable of and we want to be respected just as much as anyone else. So then we came out with a little bit of fire.”

Garrett later stated that teams are always looking for sources of motivation. He believes Chase's comments can become a rally cry for the Browns during the 2023 season.

“You know, something to focus in on and rally the troops and that was like a rallying point for us.”

Myles Garrett, Browns finding motivation

The Browns have often been ridiculed due to their struggles over the years. Cleveland is aiming to silence the critics with a strong '23 campaign. Their season-opening performance against the Bengals was certainly a tremendous way to get things going. There is still plenty of work to be done though.

The Browns should enjoy the win, but continue to play with intensity and motivation moving forward.