CLEVELAND — Wasn't that fun??
With their season hanging in the balance, the Browns earned a resounding 41-16 victory Tuesday over the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021's first leg of the "Battle of Ohio." Cleveland came in as a slight underdog, but an all-around effort on both offense and defense kept them firmly in the playoff picture nine weeks in.
Baker Mayfield threw for two touchdowns, and Nick Chubb ran for two more along with 137 yards. Denzel Ward had a 99-yard interception return for a TD, one of three takeaways for the secondary.
WATCH: Denzel Ward's 99-yard interception return gives Browns early 7-0 lead over Cincinnati Bengals
Coming into play, the biggest story was about who wasn't there. Odell Beckham Jr. was officially inactive after the Browns announced their intent to release him on Friday, and he is expected to hit waivers on Monday. It ends a rough 29-game tenure that saw the embattled receiver make headlines often, but seldom produce.
With Cleveland winning by 25 points and with the offense clicking on all cylinders, there was plenty of reason for fans to celebrate after the game. There were also plenty of opportunities to address the elephant in the room, and indeed, the hashtag #OdellWho was trending on Twitter.
Check out some of the best reactions we found on social media from both fans and analysts alike: