How the Browns Beat the Bengals Again

The Cleveland Browns will have their opportunity to sweep the Cincinnati Bengals this week. Here's how they do it.

The Cleveland Browns are coming off an ugly loss, but are presented with another opportunity to win a road game and sweep a divisional opponent in the Cincinnati Bengals. 

At 1-4-1, the Bengals look like relatively easy prey, but the only loss they've had by more than one score came at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, who dispatched the Browns in similar fashion. Beyond that, the Bengals have had opportunities to win games, including last week against the Indianapolis Colts, but found the banana peel.

When the Browns have the ball

The Browns ran for over 200 yards in their first matchup against the Bengals and they will look to have similar success. They won't have Nick Chubb, but they have a similar advantage up front. Geno Atkins is available, but hasn't been utilized full time, so if head coach Zac Taylor continues to let him rot on the bench, all the better for the Browns.

With Chris Hubbard likely to continue playing right guard as Wyatt Teller recovers from his calf strain, the hope is the Browns stop trying to run behind him, opting to pull him instead. He's built to win with angles, so he can function when they have him reach block, but he lacks the caboose necessary to really drive anyone off the line. However, pulling him on counters and potentially that wide trap that Teller was so good at can minimize his weaknesses and allow the Browns to find similar success with Kareem Hunt.

Zone concepts put a lot of stress on the Bengals because their linebackers are mediocre. It forces them to run laterally and make smart decisions on where the hole is, which would be an advantage for Hunt. Hunt wants to prove he's still a franchise back as he hasn't really had much success without Chubb in the lineup.

Hunt should also be utilized in the passing game for the same reason, which has been lacking the last few weeks. The linebackers for the Bengals aren't particularly good and it can create space in other areas of the field, which has been an underlying problem for this offense. If Hunt is in the flat or working up the sideline, it can create badly needed space in the middle for their tight ends. If he's in the middle of the field, it should help create space near the boundary.

That space should help Baker Mayfield find success and get into a rhythm. Likewise, this is a team where the Browns should be able to run those stretch play action concepts that can put defenders a step behind and enable him to get into a rhythm.

Odell Beckham had a good game against the Bengals in the first game and there's every reason to keep manipulating the defense to get him the ball in space. William Jackson III is a pretty good corner and Jessie Bates is playing at an elite level at free safety. LeShaun Sims at the other corner and Vonn Bell at strong safety are not.

Whether the newness of the offense or something else, Austin Hooper had two receptions on four targets in the first matchup. They should take more advantage of what he's able to do against a team like the Bengals who don't have a good answer defensively.

They've used a tight end screen to get the ball in his hands for the past month and that's an easy play to get him involved. Mayfield needs to get the ball to him outside the numbers as well as in the middle of the field.

In the first matchup, Jarvis Landry was not the focal point of the offense and he played well. Only three targets, he caught them all for 46 yards. Some of this is about his health with his ribs and hip, but he's just better when he's able to find voids in the zone, settling in space as the second option on plays. He does an excellent job of giving Mayfield a reliable option when the initial play isn't there.

Whether it's David Njoku, Harrison Bryant or both, the Browns should take more advantage of this position against the Bengals. They don't have a good answer for Hooper. They have no answer for these two. This should be a major beneficiary of this offense in general and not unlike with Landry, they don't need to be the focus of the offense by any stretch, but poking and prodding a defense over the course of the game, they may get freed up to make a big play down the field.

One of the things the Browns need to do in general offensively is find someone else that can stretch the field other than Beckham. KhaDarel Hodge is weirdly missed in this offense with his hamstring and Njoku is the best option to do this. And it doesn't have to come at Harrison Bryant's expense.

They almost entirely utilize Njoku inline. He can be helpful there, but there's no reason they shouldn't flex him out as well. For example, putting Hooper inline and Njoku flexed out on the same side of the field is really difficult to defend. Njoku can get down the field and obviously the one time they went down the field to him against the Ravens, it resulted in a big play.

The injury Njoku suffered may have impacted their ability to use him creatively, but this is a good game to get back to it. They can easily put all three tight ends on the field and line up Njoku in space. It not only dictates personnel for the defense, but the Browns have better athletes.

The one golden rule for this offense playing against the Bengals is to know where Jessie Bates is on every play and respect him accordingly. He's outstanding and part of the plan for the Browns may be trying to move him to create opportunities down the field.

When the Bengals have the ball

The Bengals are developing more of an identity, for better or worse. Their running game continues to struggle and the Browns need to keep it that way. In the passing game, Tee Higgins is growing into his role and the Bengals seem to be embracing a future of Tyler Boyd and Higgins now. A.J. Green is still there and they can't sleep on him, but that is increasingly who they are.

Boyd bears similarities to Landry in how he tends to operate. Understands where he can find space to exploit, he's a reliable target that is pretty good after the catch. Higgins is a problem because of his size. 6'4" 215 pounds, he can win with his strength.

The good news for the Browns is they are healthier at the corner position. Instead of having Tavierre Thomas struggle in coverage, they will have Kevin Johnson, which is a massive upgrade. Johnson has been really sticky in coverage, which will likely be on Boyd much of the time.

Malcolm Smith has played really well in coverage, so if the Browns can consistently force the Bengals into obvious passing situations, their defense has a pretty substantial advantage. Considering where this defense has been this season, that's a notable improvement.

The Browns also have Ronnie Harrison back and it remains to be seen just how committed they are to him, but he offers the size this secondary lacks. He could help out with Higgins, but more importantly is able to defend tight ends. Drew Sample isn't a terribly dynamic receiving threat, but if Harrison can take him out, that limits the options Joe Burrow has.

Speaking of Burrow, the coverage should be better for the Browns, which could mean an increase in opportunities to put pressure on the rookie quarterback. Too often in the first matchup, he was able to pick on a weakness in the Browns secondary and get the ball out quickly. 

Myles Garrett will likely spend most of the time lined up against Bobby Hart, but as the Browns get healthier up front, they may want to have him line up against guards more often. Against the Steelers, the Browns utilized Adrian Clayborn as a nickel rusher over the right guard with Olivier Vernon on the edge. That would have Clayborn against a struggling Michael Jordan with Vernon against Jonah Williams.

On the interior, both Sheldon Richardson and Larry Ogunjobi have been dealing with injuries. Richardson, it's his quad and for Ogunjobi, it's an abdominal issue. Both were highly effective in the first matchup and if they can shut down the running game, it will enable this group to consistently get after the quarterback.

Special Teams

Donovan Peoples-Jones continues to look hesitant as a returner. As a result, he's not really able to showcase the athleticism that made him so good in space in college. He needs to pick a lane and go.

Cody Parkey continues to be consistent kicking, which has been a pleasant surprise this season. 

The Bengals have a pretty good set of returners. Brandon Wilson consistently gets paste the 25-yard line on kickoffs while Alex Erickson is averaging 9.1 yards per punt return.

Another area where the Browns miss KhaDarel Hodge, the Browns have gotten some coverage help back and are shuffling personnel, so they can hopefully answer the challenge in this area of the game, because the Bengals seem to have an advantage.