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It wasn't much of a contest Sunday as the Cleveland Browns knocked the Cincinnati Bengals off their collective horses, earning the nomination for most over-hyped team through the quarter-season mark.
Cleveland opened the scoring with a 95-yard touchdown drive in the first quarter that was capped by Jordan Cameron's one-yard touchdown, out-stretching Taylor Mays near the back left pylon. It was all the offense that Cleveland needed against Cincinnati's shockingly embarrassing effort Sunday afternoon. Yet the offense responded with a 13-play possession that generated four first downs but, predictably, Cincinnati failed to capitalize and Mike Nugent was forced to convert a 25-yard field goal.
Cleveland's 7-3 lead would hold for nearly two periods until Billy Cundiff's 51-yard score with over five minutes remaining in the third gave Cleveland a 10-3 advantage. Mike Nugent added a 43-yard field goal on the team's ensuing possession -- sadly their most successful of the afternoon -- reducing Cleveland's lead to four points with :37 remaining in the third period.
Both teams exchanged punts before the Browns put together a 91-yard possession, their second 90-plus yard possession of the afternoon, capped by a game-sealing Chris Ogbonnaya one-yard touchdown reception with 4:54 remaining in the game to extend the lead to 11 points.
Buster Skrine's interception with 3:49 remaining in the game, the team's second turnover (unless you're including the turnover on downs in the second quarter) for a turnover differential of -2. Cleveland stayed on the ground during their ensuing possession, forcing the Bengals to eliminate their time outs to keep some time on the clock. The Browns kept the pressure on and the Bengals ended the game with a turnover on downs -- their fourth turnover if you include turnovers on down.
This marks the first time that the Bengals haven't scored a touchdown since week three in 2011.