Thanks to 21 points from the Browns defensive and special teams units down in Houston, the Browns enter Week 14 on the first two-game winning streak of the season. Things will be much tougher this Sunday as they take on the surging Bengals (8-4), who have won four straight games since being soundly defeated by the Browns 32-13 on Halloween.
Let's look at the Winning Mix in how the Browns can grab a critical win and the sixth straight over their division rival.
1. Win the Turnover Battle
The Browns are 3-0 in 2022 when winning the turnover battle, including the 32-13 win over the Bengals in Week 8. Under head coach Zac Taylor, the Bengals are just 3-22 when losing the turnover battle, so it's critical that the Browns take care of the ball on offense and take it away on defense. I should also point out that the Browns have not lost this season with a clean sheet on offense.
In the last two games against Joe Burrow, the Browns have won by a combined score of 73-29 and in those games, they've intercepted Burrow three times and have forced and recovered three fumbles. The Browns defense had three takeaways in each game, and in the 41-16 win down in Cincy last season, Denzel Ward had a 99-yard pick six on the opening possession. It should also be noted that the Browns defense harassed Burrow thoroughly in both of those games with 10 total sacks, three of which came from Myles Garrett. That kind of impactful defensive performance will go a long way to another massive win over the Bengals.
Check out photos of players and coaches working to prepare for the teams regular season game against the Cincinnati Bengals
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Running back Kareem Hunt (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Linebacker Reggie Ragland (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Safety John Johnson III (43) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Tight end Miller Forristall (86) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Linebacker Tony Fields II (42) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. (31) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Safety Ronnie Harrison (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Defensive tackle Ben Stille (57) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Running Back D'Ernest Johnson (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Defensive tackle Taven Bryan (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey (97) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Linebacker Sam Kamara (92) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Linebacker Reggie Ragland (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (96) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. (31) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Linebacker Reggie Ragland (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Defensive end Alex Wright (94) and Defensive end Isaiah Thomas (58) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Wide Receiver Michael Woods II (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Running Back D'Ernest Johnson (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden (83) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Safety Grant Delpit (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Offensive Quality Control Coach Ashton Grant during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
A helmet during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden (83) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Wide Receiver Michael Woods II (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Tight end Harrison Bryant (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Running Back Coach Stump Mitchell during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Running back Kareem Hunt (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Tight end Miller Forristall (86) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Tight end Pharaoh Brown (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
Safety Bubba Bolden (36) and Wide receiver Mike Harley Jr. (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 7, 2022.
2. Get Deshaun Watson going
Things didn't go as smoothly for Watson and the Browns offense in his first start last week as he was held to 12-for-22 passing for 131 yards with no touchdowns, one interception and passer rating of 53.4. It was the first time in Watson's career that he quarterbacked a team that did not score an offensive touchdown, and it was the lowest rating of his career. In other words, the Browns got a much-needed win, and things will get a lot better for their quarterback and offense as Watson gets comfortable and back to utilizing his immense talents. Watson is near the top of the rankings in NFL history in multiple categories including first in completion percentage (67.6 percent), second in quarterback rating (103.9) and third in yards per attempt (8.3).
This week, look for Watson and his receivers Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones to test rookie CB Cam Taylor-Britt, who enters the game with five straight starts while allowing a 76 percent completion percentage and one touchdown.
3. Run the Ball!
In his last three full games against the Bengals, Nick Chubb has rushed for more than 100 yards with two or more rushing touchdowns in every single one of them — all of which were Browns wins. Chubb is tied with Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis with three career games of 100-plus yards with multiple touchdowns against the Bengals. Chubb is also second in the NFL with 1,119 yards and 12 touchdowns and is just one score on the ground away from a new career high.
Chubb is the only running back to rush for more than 100 yards against the Bengals this year (102 yards and two scores) and the Browns would love to see him repeat the feat on Sunday. It will be tougher this time around with the great DT D.J. Reader back in the starting lineup for the Bengals, but Chubb has always found a way to get some chunk runs against them. It should also be noted that Kareem Hunt's 74 total yards against Cincy in Week 8 tied his season high in 2022 and so the 1-2 punch could absolutely be back in the jungle this Sunday.
