The Bengals First-Half Offense Against the Browns

Bengals First Offensive Drive (15:00-13:46).

1. Perry, three-yard rush. Bengals line up double-TE set, overloaded on the right (Levi Jones lined up next to Stacy Andrews and Ben Utecht lined up next to Andrew Whitworth). The offensive line blocks down, Andrew Whitworth pulls from left to right, and Reggie Kelly blocks the end straight up. Bobbie Williams pushed Shaun Rogers outside, and Stacy Andrews tried to push his man in. Corey Williams spun off Andrews' block and tackled Chris Perry after a three-yard gain.
2. Ryan Fitzpatrick trips after Eric Ghiaciuc stepped on the quarterback's foot after being pushed backwards by Rogers.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick throws an incomplete pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh, running 10-15 yard out route. The pass was beyond Houshmandzadeh's reach.
4. Bengals punt.

Bengals Second Offensive Drive (9:29-8:03)

1. Perry, two-yard gain. Bengals line up single-back formation with two receivers on the right, tight end and single-WR on the left. The flow goes to the right, where Shaun Rogers got a step on Andrew Whitworth forcing Perry to redirect three-yards deep in the backfield. Perry is forced to cut back to the left, but #22-McDonald contained the edge, then ankle-tackling Perry. By this time, #95-Wimbley shed off Kelly's block; so even if Perry shakes off McDonald, the gain is limited.
2. Perry, three yard gain. Bengals line up standard I-formation, strong side to the left (where the Tight End lines up). Houshmandzadeh, before the snap, motions from left to right, stopping behind Stacy Andrews and Bobbie Williams. With Reagan Maui'a as the led fullback, Perry gets the handoff and runs right. Bobbie had Shaun Rogers, essentially, had Rogers blocked out of the play. Rogers spun off Williams' block and made the stop.
3. Fitzpatrick throws an incomplete. Fitzpatrick lines up in shotgun, with three wide receivers on the left. The Browns brought six rushers, two blitzers on the right. Perry (I think) picks up one blitzer, but the second was unblocked and unaccounted for, because there just weren't enough blockers on that side of the line. So Fitzpatrick is forced to throw a pass to Chad Johnson earlier than he would have liked.
4. Bengals punt.

Bengals Third Offensive Drive (2:30-10:26)

1. After Corey Williams lined up offsides, the Bengals offense had a first-and-five at the Cincinnati 12-yard line. Perry, three-yard gain. Bengals line up standard I-formation, strong side to the right. Levi Jones and Andrew Whitworth blocked down, sealing the end; then Jones released and took on the linebacker. In all reality, the blocking was really good here... except. The Browns outside linebacker, #95-Wimbley was allowed to penetrate the backfield, two yards deep because that was likely Reagan Maui'a's man. Maui'a didn't drive through the defender; instead he stopped and put hands on him. Doing what good defenders do, Wimbley shed off Maui'a's block and stopped Perry for a three-yard gain.
2. Perry, four-yard loss. Bengals line up standard I formation, strong side to the right. This one is easy. #22-B.McDonald coming on a corner blitz, was unblocked and stopped Perry four yards short of the line of scrimmage. Maui'a disregarded McDonald, trying to get around Levi Jones to get to the safety. If Maui'a sees McDonald, and pushes him out to open a lane off the left tackle, then Perry likely has a limited gain anyway. But at least it's not a four-yard loss.
3. Ryan Fitzpatrick scrambles for 11-yard gain and a first down. Fitzpatrick with empty backfield, drops back and nearly stumbles again. Fitzpatrick really didn't look downfield, choosing to run into the wide-open field.
4. Fitzpatrick completes 13-yard pass to Chad Johnson. Bengals line up off-set I, strong side to the left. Good protection, to start, enables Fitzpatrick to hit the final step in his drop, and fire off an accurate pass to Chad Johnson running about a 15-yard hook route. Bengals pick up the first down. Note: Maui'a blocked the blitzer coming on the right, who made quick contact than performed a swim move. Maui'a as a pass blocker, tends to stand up and lean forward, allowing defenders to control Maui'a because our full back isn't balancing himself.
5. First play of the second quarter. After an off-sides on the Browns (that negates a fumbled snap), Fitzpatrick completes a 6-yard pass to Houshmandzadeh, who lined up on the left, ran a yard short of the first down marker and turned out. He caught the pass and then the first down.
6. Chris Perry, three-yard gain. Bengals line up Standard I formation, strong side to the right. The line initially blocked this well; Reggie Kelly had position on the end, Stacy Andrews DRILLED Corey Williams, putting him on a rope. Eric Ghiaciuc and Bobbie Williams neutralized Shaun Rogers. Maui'a and a pulling Levi Jones took out two linebackers, while Andrew Whitworth contained the right defensive end easily. Here's where the play broke down. After Ghiaciuc and Williams took out Rogers, Ghiaciuc was designed to go after the linebacker (#52-D.Jackson). Ghiaciuc couldn't break into the second level, and #52-D.Jackson limited Perry's gain to only three yards. Good blocking, but we just couldn't get to the second level.
7. Fitzpatrick throws incomplete pass. Bengals line up standard I-formation. Fitzpatrick drops back, throws a 20-mile high pass to Chad Johnson. The pass protection was there, but the pass was way off.
8. Fitzpatrick scrambles up the middle for 13 yards. This is Fitzpatrick's second first down run, and the team's third first down on this drive.
9. Perry, 12-yard gain. This is the Bengals best designed run of the day. Bengals line up I-formation with three wide receivers and no tight ends. Reggie Kelly this time, lines up at full back. The offensive line fires off, appearing like they're zone blocking. All five guys get a hat on someone, keep their hats on someone, until Perry is past the line of scrimmage. Eric Ghiaciuc, with no one on the line over him, heads to the second level, puts a hat on a linebacker, who nearly made the tackle by not allowing Ghiaciuc to either drive him, or turn him away from the running lane. Two linebackers run blitzed certain gaps, taking themselves out of the play.
10. Perry, one-yard gain. Bengals line up off-set I, overloaded on the right (Levi Jones lined up on the right, next to Andrews). Bobbie Williams and Stacy Andrews DESTROYED the end, blowing him back a good five yards just on the initial hit. At one point, there was a big, big lane. four Bengals blockers had four Browns defenders walled off like a punt return. On the other side, Eric Ghiaciuc and Reggie Kelly had the left side walled off. Quickly, it broke down after Shaun Rogers shed off Ghiaciuc's block and just filling the hole.
11. After Levi Jones false starts, Bengals line up second-and-14 at the Cleveland 30-yard line. Fitzpatrick completes a five-yard pass to Perry, who flanked Fitzpatrick in shotgun, running directly into the wide-side flats.
12. Fitzpatrick throws an incomplete pass to Antonio Chatman. The Bengals kept seven blockers in. The problem? The Browns brought eight defenders on a pass rushing blitz. So Fitzpatrick had to get rid of the ball quickly; though this is the type of defensive scheme that most offenses have an opportunity for a quick deep score. However, Fitzpatrick threw a pass to the deep right pylon. The problem? Chatman stopped around the first down marker, 20 yards away from the pass.
13. Bengals kick a field goal, tie the game at 3.

Bengals Fourth Offensive Possession (9:22-8:34)

1. Fitzpatrick completes a nine-yard pass to Chris Perry. Plenty of time, good protection. Good play; Perry ran over the middle and turned.
2. After another off-sides on the Browns, the Bengals line up first-and-ten at the Cleveland 35-yard line. Fitzpatrick throws an interception to #20-M.Adams. Originally, the Bengals lined up I-formation, strong side to the left. Then they did some shift-thing (which they don't normally do), leaving an empty backfield, and three receivers on the left with Reggie Kelly lined up at the second flanker from the outside and Perry lined up in the slot. Kelly ran a simple seam route, was open five yards into his route. However, Fitzpatrick floated the pass (and he somewhat needed to in order to clear the underneath linebacker). If Fitzpatrick throws the pass about two yards shorter, Kelly picks up 25 yards. Instead, he floated the ball too much for #20-M.Adams.

Bengals Fifth Offensive Possession (3:31-:13)

1. Fitzpatrick throws incomplete to Perry. Perry, lined up as the feature back in I-formation, runs to the short-side flats. The play was a play-action, with Perry faking misdirection. The fake was awful on Fitzpatrick's part. Perry juggles the pass and it falls incomplete.
2. Fitzpatrick completes 5-yard pass to Chris Perry. Fitzpatrick fakes a wide receiver screen to the left (Chad Johnson) and hits Perry on a running back screen to the right. The problem here is that the blockers never got out. Eric Ghiaciuc is a good five yards to Perry's left, Whitworth, Andrews and Williams were still behind Perry. Ghiaciuc tries to make a block on the linebacker, but the linebacker dove under our gallant center for the tackle.
3. Fitzpatrick throws an interception for Chad Johnson, and then Chris Perry causes a fumble that the Bengals recover. The Bengals kept Perry and Utecht in to block. Utecht was blocking the defensive end ALL BY HIMSELF, which forced Fitzpatrick to move up and to the right, outside of the pocket. With a defender closing down on Fitzpatrick, the quarterback unleashes an unadvised pass to Chad Johnson. #24-E.Wright, a step behind Chad Johnson, was in perfect position for the under thrown pass. Thankfully, Perry buried his helmet on the football causing the fumble; recovered by Chad.
4. Fitzpatrick completes a six-yard pass to Reggie Kelly. Fitzpatrick fakes the handoff to the left, then rolls right and hits Reggie Kelly, flaring out.
5. Fitzpatrick completes a one-yard pass to Ben Utecht. Fitzpatrick drops back three steps, and hits Utecht running up and out.
6. Fitzpatrick completes a six-yard pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh. In shotgun, Fitzpatrick throws to Houshmandzadeh in the slot, uncovered, running a lazy slant route over the middle.
7. Fitzpatrick sacked for a two-yard loss. Coverage sack, easily. Fitzpatrick drops back, looks to the right. A defender crossed Fitzpatrick's face, who then runs up the middle and dropped by #95-K.Wimbley.
8. Fitpatrick throws an incomplete pass to Chad Johnson. Fitzpatrick, in shotgun, looks left, then over the middle, then back to the left. Johnson was running a deep fade route, who found a hole between the underneath cornerback and safety help over the middle. It could have been complete, with a perfect pass. Which it wasn't.
9. Fitzpatrick completes a six-yard pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Houshmandzadeh lined up inside on the right, ran a slant/in-route, catches the pass and not much else.
10. Shayne Graham converts a 45-yard field goal for the 6-3 lead.