Cleveland, OH-
The Cincinnati Bengals head north to face the Browns for Monday night football. The “Battle of Ohio” features the second place Bengals (4-3) and the third place Browns (2-5). Cleveland has won seven of the last eight matchups with their in-state rival.
The Halloween showcase is extremely important for Cleveland as they look to right the ship. Cincinnati’s season started off rocky as they lost their first two games. However, they have won four of their last five games. On the other side, the Browns have lost their last four games, after starting the season 2-1.
Injuries
The Browns will have Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney back after injuries. Their presence is critical for the defense. They’ll look to get to Bengals’ quarterback Joe Burrow early. Cincinnati’s offensive line has given up 25 sacks thus far in 2022. If Cleveland wants to see an upset Monday night, this duo will need to be a part of it.
The Bengals are no strangers to injuries as they’ll be without their star wide receiver, Ja’Marr Chase. He is nursing a hip-injury that will keep him off the field for several weeks. Burrow will have to use his other offensive weapons Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins.
Run, Chubb, run
Cleveland on the other hand needs to rely on the running game. With Jacoby Brissett under center, the Browns offense has been hit or miss. The team’s offensive machine is Nick Chubb. The running back leads the league with eight touchdowns and 740 rushing yards. If Cleveland is going to be successful against Cincinnati, they’ll need to utilize Chubb. He’s put up solid numbers against the Bengals in the past including over 700 yards and six touchdowns.
The Bengals defense hasn’t allowed a second-half touchdown yet this season. Cleveland will need to put points on the board early. Much criticism has been given to Browns head coach Kevin Stefanksi. This is mainly due to his play calling in the red zone. He under-utilizes Chubb and he’s often on the sidelines when Cleveland nears the end zone. The star running back can be used to take pressure off of backup quarterback Brissett.
The Browns are looking for the upset on primetime Monday night. A win could deflect many glaring deficiencies for Cleveland…at least, temporarily.
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