Bengals vs. Browns instant analysis: Defense steps up, offense catches fire in second half
No David Njoku, no Wyatt Teller, no Denzel Ward, no Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, no problem. The Cleveland Browns overcame a steep injury report to come away with a massive Monday Night Football blowout against the Cincinnati Bengals.
On the day, quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw for 278 yards and a touchdown, going 17-of-22. His favorite target was once again Amari Cooper who went for a massive 131 yards and a touchdown on five catches. The Browns found a great balance, as Nick Chubb rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns, and Kareem Hunt added 72 total yards on 15 touches amid trade rumors.
The defense stepped up huge as well, forcing two turnovers and shutting the Bengals out in the first half. What stood out most from this much-needed Cleveland win?
Sione Takitaki thrives in MIKE role
Cleveland Browns Sione Takitaki. [Jeff Lange/Beacon Journal]
The Browns were stuck without starting MIKE linebacker Jacob Phillips and WILL linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. This forced the normal SAM linebacker Sione Takitaki to step in at MIKE, and he did so with force and energy.
A strip sack, a relentless tackler, and seemingly all over the field. This defense would not have been the same without 44 on the night.
Takitaki was up to the task. And he may have just secured the MIKE job long-term as the Browns have struggled to replace the injured Anthony Walker Jr. Playing out the rest of an expiring contract, Takitaki may have just earned himself a lot of money as a starting job at MIKE instead of SAM beyond 2022.
Browns marry run and pass game to perfection in second half
Cleveland Browns Kareem Hunt. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-USA TODAY Sports
While the offense sputtered a bit in the first half, posting just 11 through the first 30 minutes, the Browns’ offense hit a stride in the second half. They scored on their first three possessions, stretching their lead to as wide as 32-6 on the night. And they did it both through the air and on the ground.
They struck a perfect chord in the second half. When the Browns needed a big throw backed up, Brissett seemingly had one in him. When the Browns needed a third-and-short conversion, Chubb and Hunt were up for the task.
This offense is a great deal of fun when Brissett, Cooper, Hunt, and Chubb are all thriving between the stripes. Against the defending AFC champions, this is a solid building block to stand on as the Browns head into the bye week and look ahead to the Miami Dolphins.
Myles Garrett's Defensive Player of the Year Campaign is back on
Cleveland Browns Myles Garrett. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-USA TODAY Sports
Despite a scary car accident, and despite missing a game, Myles Garrett is back in the conversation to be the 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He continues to stack up sacks in consecutive games and has even had a multi-sack performance in two of his last three (he racked up 1.5 sacks tonight).
In terms of elite defensive pass rushers, Garrett is in a company that only Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys and Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams belong in. Garrett now has 7.5 sacks through eight games on the season, on pace for another 16-plus sack season with the Browns.
Garrett is an alien. Players who are 275 pounds are not supposed to move the way Garrett does. He is truly a pleasure to watch, and a player who may already be considered the best defensive player in franchise history.
With nine games left to go, can Garrett continue to rally toward the prestigious honor of the best defensive player in the league?
Amari Cooper makes up for early mistakes
Cleveland Browns Amari Cooper. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Amari Cooper dropped a dig route in the first half that would have turned into a Cleveland first down when they were behind the sticks. He then threw an ugly interception on a trick play where he should have tossed the football out of bounds.
And then he came back for revenge in the second half. Scoring a touchdown and finding himself on the receiving end of more than one deep ball, Cooper kept the passing game churning despite the absence of the Browns’ second-leading receiver in Njoku.
Now up to 553 yards and five touchdowns on 39 catches for the Browns, Cooper is on pace for 1,175 yards and 10 touchdowns on 82 catches. Yeah, I’d say he was well worth the fifth round pick the Browns gave up to acquire him from the Cowboys.
Nick Chubb is the ultimate punisher
Cleveland Browns Nick Chubb. Nfl Cincinnati Bengals At Cleveland Browns Oct 31 0017
There is not a better finisher in the NFL than Nick Chubb. As the Browns still maintained a three-score lead in the fourth quarter of the game, Chubb did not think that was enough as he ran in for his second touchdown of the game.
The offense could not get it going in the first half, but the jumpstart Chubb gave the Browns in the second half provided a spark that got the offense moving down the field for three straight touchdown drives to start the final 30 minutes of the game.
On the season, Chubb is already up to 841 yards and 10 touchdowns as he looks to continue toward the crown as the NFL’s rushing leader. Chubb has more than staked his claim as the best running back in the NFL this season. He is a treasure to behold in Cleveland.
