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Bengals sweep Browns for Ohio bragging rights

Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill (32) runs the ball for a gain of 17 yards against the Cleveland Browns during the third quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

(The Sports Xchange) - The Cincinnati Bengals swept the Battle of Ohio, and swept it with a broom stretching sideline to sideline. The Bengals overwhelmed the Cleveland Browns 37-3 on Sunday behind three touchdowns by quarterback Andy Dalton for their 10th victory of the season. The Bengals (10-2) were dominant from beginning to end and strengthened their hold on the AFC North with four games remaining in the regular season. Dalton had a 3-yard run for a score and threw a pair of TD passes. "This was huge," said Bengals running back Jeremy Hill, who rushed for 98 yards and a touchdown. "We want to win the North and have home field (advantage) and win the Super Bowl. We're taking it week by week. It's been working, so why change it?" The Browns (2-10) are heading the opposite direction. The loss was their seventh straight. Cleveland has been outscored by the Bengals 98-13 in the last three games dating back to December of 2014 when the Bengals won, 30-0, in Cleveland in the first game started by Johnny Manziel. "It's tough; it's frustrating," Browns head coach Mike Pettine said. "You find out who you are. It's a healthy dose of adversity. When things finally turn the other way, this is what you remember." The Browns' record is the worst in the league after 12 games. "Once we get down so much we're not able to fight back," Browns linebacker Paul Kruger said. "That's what we can't allow ourselves to do. We can't stop the momentum." Cincinnati wide receiver A.J. Green paid tribute to his quarterback. "We play hard and we play for each other," Green said. "We let the score take care of itself. We're just making plays. The way Andy is playing is unbelievable." Dalton completed 14 of 19 passes with no interceptions and had a passer rating of 146.8. (Editing by Andrew Both)