3:57 p.m.-CLEVELAND BROWNS FALL TO 0-13 WITH LOSS TO CINCINNATI BENGALS
CLEVELAND -- The Cincinnati Bengals needed a victory over the Cleveland Browns to remain in the playoff race in the AFC, and that is exactly what they got on a cold, snowy, windy day at FirstEnergy Stadium Sunday.
On the strength of two passing touchdowns from quarterback Andy Dalton to tight end Tyler Eifert and all-around production from running back Jeremy Hill, the Bengals (5-7-1) earned a 23-10 win over the Browns (0-13), the fifth straight and sixth in the last seven against their in-state rivals.
Dalton completed 20 of his 28 attempts for 180 yards with the two touchdowns, and Hill rushed for 111 yards and one score on 25 carries. Hill added 31 yards on three catches out of the backfield.
In his comeback game from a broken coracoid bone in his left shoulder, Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III completed 12 of his 28 attempts for 104 yards and one interception, but managed to rush for Cleveland’s only touchdown of the game.
3:30 p.m.-MIKE NUGENT CONVERTS FG ATTEMPT
CLEVELAND -- After missing one field goal and a point-after attempt earlier in the game, Cincinnati kicker Mike Nugent converted a 44-yard try, and that extended the Bengals’ lead over the Cleveland Browns to 23-10 with 8:41 to play in regulation.
Nugent finished off an 11-play, 57-yard drive with the field goal, and had to make two kicks on the possession, as the Bengals were flagged for a false start on the first attempt, which also split the uprights.
3:16 p.m.-BROWNS CUT BENGALS LEAD TO 10
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns got a 30-yard field goal from kicker Cody Parkey at the 14:14 mark of the fourth quarter, and that cut the Cincinnati Bengals’ lead to 10 points, 20-10, in an AFC North Division game at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Parkey capped off a 10-play, 69-yard drive with the field goal.
The Browns utilized the running backs to move down the field and set up Parkey’s kick.
Facing a third-and-three from the Cleveland 26-yard line, quarterback Robert Griffin III slipped a short pass to Duke Johnson, Jr. for a 21-yard gain. Three plays later, running back Isaiah Crowell followed the right side of the offensive line through the line of scrimmage and down the field for a 30-yard gain.
2:55 p.m.-BROWNS GET ON THE SCOREBOARD
CLEVELAND -- Quarterback Robert Griffin III called his own number and scored on a one-yard touchdown run that drew the Cleveland Browns to within two scores of the Cincinnati Bengals, 20-7, with 8:11 to play in the third quarter from FirstEnergy Stadium.
Griffin engineered a 10-play, 80-yard drive that took nearly five minutes off of the third-quarter clock.
On the second play of the drive, running back Isaiah Crowell scampered from the Cleveland 20-yard line down to Cincinnati’s 38 for a 42-yard gain.
Five plays later, Griffin completed a pass to wide receiver Corey Coleman for a 15-yard gain. The play turned out to be an 18-yarder for the Browns as Coleman was horse-collared by defensive lineman Carlos Dunlap.
2:04 p.m.-DALTON FINDS EIFERT FOR TD
CLEVELAND -- Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton played without his starting tight end, Tyler Eifert, for several games during the season, but now that the veteran signal-caller has one of his top targets back, the chemistry is paying dividends.
For the second time today, Dalton found Eifert for a touchdown, which gave the Bengals a 20-0 lead over the Cleveland Browns with 5:07 to play in the first half of the AFC North Division matchup at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The Bengals’ defense set up their third touchdown drive of the game.
The Browns had a first and 10 from their own two-yard line and elected to run a flea-flicker. After catching the pitch back, quarterback Robert Griffin III threw the pass deep down the right side of the field for wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, but safety George Iloka corralled the interception and returned it 21 yards to the Browns’ 26-yard line.
1:21 p.m.-BENGALS TACK ONTO ADVANTAGE
CLEVELAND -- The Cincinnati Bengals scored on their second possession of the game and built a 13-0 lead over the Cleveland Browns with 6:27 to play in the first quarter of their AFC North Division matchup at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Bengals running back Jeremy Hill extended the lead over the Browns with a one-yard touchdown run behind the middle of Cincinnati’s offensive line.
The Bengals’ point-after touchdown attempt failed as Mike Nugent’s kick was blocked and returned to midfield by several Browns players after three laterals.
The Bengals overcame an eight-yard loss on a sack of quarterback Andy Dalton by getting an 11-yard gain from wide receiver Tyler Boyd. On the very next play, Dalton went back to Boyd for another 11-yard gain, and two snaps later, Hill posted an 11-yard run.
1:06 p.m.-BENGALS TAKE EARLY LEAD
CLEVELAND -- The Cincinnati Bengals were not adversely affected by the snowy and windy conditions at FirstEnergy Stadium, as they marched right down the field and scored a touchdown on their first possession of the game and took a 7-0 lead over the Cleveland Browns in their AFC North Division matchup along the shores of Lake Erie.
Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton punctuated the six-play, 73-yard scoring drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Eifert with 12:21 to play in the first quarter.
On the opening drive, Dalton completed two of his three passes for 22 yards with the touchdown, but the big play of the possession came on a reverse run from wide receiver Tyler Boyd.
Facing a first-and-ten from their own 41-yard line, the Bengals called for a trick play as Boyd caught a pitch from running back Jeremy Hill and ran around left end. With blockers sealing off the edge, Boyd sprinted down the field all the way to the Browns’ 20-yard line for a gain of 39 yards.
