Browns Bully Bengals 24-3!

The Cleveland Browns set the tone from the opening kickoff and were never threatened as the Browns bullied the Cincinnati Bengals and trounced them on their way out of town to the beat of 24-3.
Terrence West rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown,while Ben Tate and Isaiah Crowell each scored a rushing touchdown as well.
The now 6-3 Browns have 10 days off before hosting the Houston Texans.

Brownie Bits

1) 6-3 and first place in the division (Tied with Pittsburgh)?
Yep and even though the Steelers are likely to take their half game lead back on Sunday (Steelers haven't had their bye yet) after they deal with the weak sister Jets-It's still a pretty good feeling.

2) Key play-the Craig Robertson interception to put the doubt in Andy Dalton's mind early that these are a different set of Browns.
I'm putting the game on DVD as I write this and the body language from Dalton wasn't good from that point on.

3) And another key-The Browns actually slammed the ball into the end zone after the turnover!
All too often,the Browns of the past and even the present,make a big play and then settle for a field goal.
This night,the Browns established that this was going to be a long hard night for the home team...

4) Terrence West got the bulk of the carries and yards in this game (94 yds 26 carries),but Isaiah Crowell and Ben Tate each scored a touchdown along with double digit carries.
I still think it's going to be tough to get all three backs that carries that they need every week,but on a evening where the running game HAD to be successful to gain a win, the result was a great one..

5) Brian Hoyer did what he needed to do to win.
The numbers aren't glossy-198 yards and no touchdowns,but he passed for several key third downs,didn't make a mistake (no turnovers) and considering he did not have Jordan Cameron or Andrew Hawkns-Hoyer used what he had and I thought he played very well...

6) The offensive line had missed Alex Mack,but they were the unsung soldiers in this win.
The line drove the Bengals off the ball and allowed a running game that had been struggling to set the tone to pound away.
The line also excelled in pass protection as Brian Hoyer was not sacked and rarely was hurried..

7) The pass rush was active too.
Desmond Bryant had the only two sacks,but Billy Winn had one called back after a penalty and the rush harassed Andy Dalton all evening...

8) Three interceptions and a fumble forced by the Cleveland defense.
Two picks by Buster Skrine and the forced fumble after Jeremy Hill had ripped off a nice run ended a Bengal drive that might have swung some momentum had the drive continued.
Mike Pettine's big play D might have began to set itself in this game...

9) Browns fans have begun to call for former Brown Josh Cribbs to get a tryout to return punts and even after a win,those cries might continue as Jim Leonhard,who is the "hands" punt returner (the player that you expect to catch it) fumbled a punt.
That miscue gave the Browns three different players that have fumbled punts this season.
Maybe the fans are onto something??

10) Miles Austin might not have the yardage in the win of a number one receiver,but it seemed like every time the Browns had a 3rd and medium to long,it was Miles Austin grabbing just enough yardage to move the chains.
Austin's numbers might go up even more in two weeks,when you know who returns...

11) Greg Little was going to make the Browns pay for releasing him as he bloviated all week to the media.
End game: One catch 8 yards.One penalty 15 yards against.
SO the price the Browns paid was gaining seven yards for allowing Greg Little on the other team.....

12) Keep this in mind.
The Browns will have ten days of Browns fans,media and league followers telling them how great their story is.
Last time this happened after pounding Pittsburgh,the Browns heard all of this and laid an egg against a bad Jacksonville team,
That game is the only game that Jacksonville has won to date and if this becomes a (gasp) playoff run,might be the one that could haunt the Browns.
The next opponent is the Houston Texans,a better team than the Jaguars,but the game is in Cleveland,so that is a difference as well.
Part of growing as a team is not getting too high or low,I'm looking forward to seeing how the Browns enter that contest..

Photo Credits:Cleveland Plain Dealer