The Cincinnati Bengals fell to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday with a final score of 21-16. The Browns were led by backup quarterback Case Keenum, since Baker Mayfield opted out of the final game of the season to get a head start on the healing process for his labrum tear (shoulder). The Bengals were without Joe Burrow for their regular-season finale, starting Brandon Allen in his place. Burrow, among multiple other starters, sat out for Week 18 in preparation for the playoffs. Speaking of the Bengals' postseason run, here are the top three things for Cincinnati to keep in mind in the upcoming weeks following their loss to the Browns.

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Bengals Week 18 Takeaways

3. Need the full heat for the playoffs

Neither the Bengals nor the Browns truly came out guns blazing in Week 18. As mentioned earlier, Mayfield and Burrow sat out of the contest, both for their respective reasons. Mayfield knew his season was over, so he was preparing for the next one. On the other hand, Burrow and other Cincinnati starters sat out as a precaution to continue their season. That's the main difference, and the main issue.

The Bengals have proved to be a superior team this season, while the Browns have been mediocre at best. However, somehow, the Browns' backups were able to defeat the Bengals' backups. AKA, there isn't nearly enough support or talent on the Bengals bench. For the team to be successful, the majority of the starters must be available and must perform, or they don't stand a chance in the playoffs.

2. Importance of strong offensive line

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The top scorers of the team weren't the only guys sidelined on Sunday. Along with Burrow and Joe Mixon, the offensive line lacked in both players and productivity. The Week 18 game proved that Burrow will need an aggressive and protective offensive line in front of him for the playoffs to work his magic in the backfield.

The offensive line struggled to keep the Browns' defense away from Allen, and the backup quarterback ended up being sacked four times.

Left guard Quinton Spain was ruled out of the contest due to COVID-19 and an ankle sprain suffered in Week 17. Bengals starting center Trey Hopkins also missed Week 18 due to COVID-19. Being without multiple key components of the offensive line heavily contributed to their lack of success on Sunday, but it also proved just how important their job is for the Cincinnati team.

1. Leadership of Joe Burrow

One of the most obvious reasons that Cincinnati lost wasn't that Allen was incapable of beating the Browns' backup team, but that he simply is not Joe Burrow. The young quarterback has grown with his team since he was drafted first overall in 2020. His leadership on the field is a direct correlation to the success of the football team, and it was clear on Sunday that they struggled in his absence.

Hopefully, Burrow was able to rest and recover from a few lingering injuries during his time off. He has a big week ahead of him, and everyone knows that the Bengals need him to be 100% for Wildcard Weekend against the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday.