Cleveland Browns need a get-right game in Bengals rematch

The Cleveland Browns need to bounce back after a demoralizing loss.

An all too familiar feeling encroached on Cleveland Browns fans in their Week 6 contest with the Pittsburgh Steelers. On the heels of a 4-1 start to the 2020 NFL season, they hoped to prove themselves against a division rival. Instead, they were outright embarrassed in a 38-7 loss that may not have even been as close as that score would indicate.

Pittsburgh outclassed the Browns in every facet of the game, harassing Baker Mayfield and the offense into mistake-filled football on defense and moving the ball steadily on offense. It became clear that Cleveland still has a ways to go if they’re going to compete with the class of the AFC North.

However, that was also evident in the season-opener against the Baltimore Ravens. In that matchup, the Browns were shellacked by a similar score, falling 38-6. But on four days rest, they went out on Thursday Night Football and put forth a convincing win against the fourth AFC North team, the in-state rival Cincinnati Bengals.

As fate would have it, the Cleveland Browns now face the same scenario, albeit with the game being played on Sunday afternoon. Kevin Stefanski’s team heads to Paul Brown Stadium in Week 7 for another date with the Bengals. And this team needs another get-right game to keep their 2020 campaign on track.

Playing the Bengals is exactly what the Cleveland Browns need in Week 7.

While the 35-30 final score of the Week 2 meeting between the Browns and Bengals may not look all that impressive, Cleveland controlled the majority of that game. They were up 28-13 late in the third quarter and 35-23 late in the final period before a Joe Burrow touchdown pass with under a minute to play led to the eventual tally being posted.

Nick Chubb, who remains out due to injury, was the driving force in that game but it was also arguably the most complete offensive performance Cleveland has submitted this season. Mayfield went 16-of-23 for 219 yards with two scores and a forgivably aggressive interception while Kareem Hunt also rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries.

Hunt should be salivating as the now lead back with Chubb out as the Browns racked up 6.1 yards per carry against the Bengals in that first meeting.

Furthermore, the Browns defense, which is banged up in the back seven, should be thankful that Myles Garrett and the defensive line get this matchup again. Cleveland notched three sacks against Cincinnati along with eight QB hits in the first meeting. The Bengals offensive line is one of the worst units in the league and, after getting stonewalled largely by the Steelers, this is a big opportunity to bounce back.

Sitting at 4-2 still, the Cleveland Browns are very much still in the AFC Playoff race. But for a team that’s still trying to build culture and confidence, they need a game in which they can get back to the way they want to play on both sides of the ball to get things chugging forward again. The Bengals have already been that opponent once for them this season. They hope that will again be the case in Week 7.