Winners: Browns Tame Bengals, Hang 41 Points

A look at today’s ‘winners’ for the Cleveland Browns after they run past the Cincinnati Bengals.

Earlier in the week Kevin Stefanski said that his team was desperate for a win and really had to have one. Cleveland came out and did just that as they ran past the Bengals in Cincinnati.

Cleveland’s offense was at its best and everything seemed to gel. There was not a soul on the field that did not want to be there and the team looked like they belonged.

The Browns put pressure on the Bengals all game and was a huge factor in this one. A few Browns players stood out in particular.

CB Denzel Ward

Ward returned to the lineup for the Browns against the Bengals and simply looked like a star. Ward had himself a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Ohio State product jumped an out route and would not be caught. Ward had a huge pass break up before the half that did not allow the Bengals to score a touchdown, in which they would have. In the third quarter Ward batted a ball that was going to Ja’Marr Chase that led to a big interception for Cleveland. If Ward was this consistent all the time it would be hard to find anyone better.

Nick Chubb

Chubb is a dominant ball carrier and showed it against the Bengals. At one point Chubb had just eight carries for 110 yards thanks to a 70 yard scamper where he would not be caught. Chubb caught a 24-yard pass through the air and was great for the Browns’ offense. If you’re a Chubb fantasy owner, you are happy today. Chubb finished with 138 yards on the ground.

Donovan Peoples-Jones

In the wake of Cleveland letting Odell Beckham Jr. go, Donovan Peoples-Jones stepped up. Jones was hit for a 60-yard touchdown in the first half. Late in the game Peoples-Jones was hit on a 26-yard play and held onto it through a big hit. Two catches for 86 yards on the day is an easy day at the office. Cleveland may have something here.

Baker Mayfield

Mayfield badly needed to come out and play well, he did just that. The Browns’ quarterback had two touchdown passes and did not turn the ball over. Connecting on the deep ball to Peoples-Jones was a good sign post Odell Beckham Jr. era. In the game against the Bengals was 14-for-21 with 218 yards passing. Mayfield hit some big time throws and had a very good day. All you can ask for.

Myles Garrett

Garrett simply did Garrett’ things against the Bengals. It gets old as Garrett is always a winner because he never really has a bad game. The NFL’s sack leader is now up to 12 sacks on the season and had 1.5 against Cincinnati.

Troy Hill

The Hill pickup in the offense has been a roller coaster. He’s had some good moments and some bad moments. Against the Bengals the slot corner had three sacks, which is the most by a Browns defensive back in one game ever. One of them was as a free-blitz. On the second one Hill found Burrow trying to escape the pocket and shot toward him. At the end of the day Hill finished with eight tackles. 

Brandon Little is a writer for Sports Illustrated’s Browns Digest website and you can follow him on Twitter here. You can follow Browns Digest on Twitter as well here.