Browns-Bengals Final Score: Cleveland loses Battle of Ohio 31-17

So, what type of adventure did the Cleveland Browns have for us in Week 7? Not much — just getting to your sixth player taking quarterback snaps this season, some awful clock management decisions by Hue Jackson that led to an opposing team’s Hail Mary, seeing a defense allow well over 500 yards of offense, and now an 0-7 record to begin the 2016 season.

Let’s get back to the first quarter, where Cincinnati received the ball first. Cleveland's defense looked non-existent as they gave up a 40-yard run to RB Jeremy Hill and a 5-yard rushing touchdown to RB Giovani Bernard to put Cincinnati up 7-0.

The Bengals missed a field goal on their next drive, and that’s when Cleveland started to find some traction in the running game offensively, including some runs by backup QB Kevin Hogan in the read-option. The Browns got to a 4th-and-1 in field goal range, but Hue Jackson decided to have K Cody Parkey kick a 28-yard field goal to make it a 7-3 game in the second quarter. After the Bengals went three-and-out, Cleveland continued running right down the field...but QB Cody Kessler was knocked out of the game with a concussion as Cleveland got down to the red zone. Two plays later, RB Isaiah Crowell punched it in from one yard out to give the Browns a 10-7 lead. This is the play Kessler got hurt on to set up the TD:

Cincinnati’s offense responded on their next drive when QB Andy Dalton found WR Brandon LaFell for a wide open 44-yard touchdown pass to give them a 14-10 lead. CB Jamar Taylor had guessed wrong on the double move. With under two minutes to play in the half, the Browns faced a 4th-and-3 from 38 yards away from the end zone. Head coach Hue Jackson opted to let the clock run down and punt, which was fine. However, when the Bengals basically conceded the half with a running play on the next drive, Jackson called a timeout. Huh!?! That directly conflicted with his prior decision, and it snowballed into WR A.J. Green catching a Hail Mary to end the half, putting the Bengals up 21-10.

Hogan provided some intrigue at the start of the third quarter with a miraculous 28-yard touchdown run to bring the Browns to within 21-17.

Shortly after, though, Hill ripped off a 74-yard touchdown to give Cincinnati a 28-17 lead. A 36-yard field goal by K Mike Nugent gave Cincinnati a 31-17 lead near the end of the third quarter.

The end of the third quarter continued to get wild. Hogan threw an interception on 3rd-and-long to former Browns ILB Karlos Dansby, who was then stripped by WR Ricardo Louis as OT Austin Pasztor recovered the fumble. After not converting another 3rd-and-long, the Bengals roughed P Britton Colquitt. The fresh set of downs still didn’t matter, as Cleveland had another three-and-out.

The Bengals drained a lot of clock to start the fourth quarter, but the 45-yard field goal attempt by Nugent was off the upright and no good with seven minutes to go. No worries for the Bengals, though, as Cleveland punted right after going three-and-out.

Hogan led the Browns into scoring range with two minutes to go, but his long wind-up pass was deflected and then picked off by LB Vincent Rey.

Quick Hitters

• QB Cody Kessler: 9-of-11 for 82 yards. (Left with concussion)
• QB Kevin Hogan: 12-of-24 for 100 yards, 2 INTs. 7 rushes, 104 yards, 1 TD.
• RB Isaiah Crowell: 12 carries, 63 yards, 1 TD.
• Cleveland began the game with LT Joe Thomas, LG Spencer Drango, C Cameron Erving, RG John Greco, and RT Austin Pasztor. Due to injuries, though, we saw about five different starting offensive line combinations.
• DE/OLB Emmanuel Ogbah had two sacks.
• The Browns were out-gained 559 yards to 352 yards. That included 271 yards rushing by the Bengals.