2024 Week 7: Bengals 21, Browns 14
The Browns kept this one close despite using three QBs, and I think the Browns would have won if they went straight to Jameis Winston instead of Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who threw 2 INTs after Deshaun’s injury.
The Browns fall to (1-6) are not a good football team, but in classic AFC North fashion, they played hard and motivated. Their schedule is very tough this year so you can book them for a top-5 maybe even the number 1 overall pick in 2025.
The Bengals (3-4) are starting to heat up, winners of 3 of their last four. They have some coin-flip games coming but could win the next two and be (5-4) before playing the Ravens.
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QB Report:
- Deshaun Watson (15/17 for 128 yards) tore his Achilles tendon which is a season-ending injury… possibly career-ending with all of the off-field issues accompanying his poor on-field performance. Deshaun was replaced by possibly the worst backup QB in the NFL, Dorian Thompson-Robinson (11/24 for 82 yards, 2 INT). I have no idea how he has a job in this league but if he were to anywhere, it would of course be in Cleveland.
- DTR got hurt and Jameis Winston (5/11 for 67 yards, 1TD) came in to close for the Browns… the ‘safety QB’ that should have been the #2. Winston looked a little rusty to start his game but settled in and led the Browns on a TD drive. Winston is the only capable QB Cleveland has right now and he’s going to start Week 8. The worst thing that can happen to this offense is DTR being forced back in as the starter, he’s so not good.
RB Report:
- Not much to discuss but we had Nick Chubb’s (11-22-1, 1 catch for 10 yards) debut in this game. I think he looks completely fine, it’s just the O-line in Cleveland is abysmal that he couldn’t produce.
WR/TE Report:
- With Jameis in, Cedric Tillman (8-81-0/12) will be the biggest winner… for as long as Winston starts. I originally wasn’t a big fan of Tillman coming out of the 2023 draft, but the Tennessee offense was such a drag because Hendon Hooker couldn’t make plays. Late last season Tillman started to find/work his way into playing time and looked like a legit NFL WR, and he showed that flash again this game when he finally got his first real snaps of the season. If Cleveland ever moves back to DTR, the only player who would get the ball would be David Njoku (10-76-1/14). They had a real connection last season before Flacco came in and stole the hearts of every American.
image source: (AP Photo/David Richard)