Browns Sweep Bengals, Finish 8-9 in Forgettable Finale with Preseason Feel
In a game befitting the underwhelming cash grab the NFL's seventeenth regular season game was always going to be, the Cleveland Browns with Case Keenum at the helm defeated the Brandon Allen-led Cincinnati Bengals in a glorified exhibition that had little on the line, 21-16.
With all of the thrills of a fourth preseason game but more risk to player health, there was plenty of bad football to be had with a few great plays peppered in along the way.
In what might be Jarvis Landry's final game as a member of the Browns, he caught six passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, finishing the season with a win and on a high note amid a season of frustrations largely outside of his control. The touchdown pass, a sail route working to the left, Landry trotted into the end zone and heaved the ball at a nearby wall, a move that seemed to connote the aggravation he has been feeling this year.
D'Ernest Johnson was the driving force of the offense just as he was the last time he and Keenum teamed up to lead the Browns to a win against the Denver Broncos. Not even a stop on the the Reserve/COVID-19 list this week could stop Johnson, who ran for 123 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown. That included a drive where Johnson carried the ball eight times in a row, a stat Keenum demanded to be clarified in the postgame press conference he briefly commandeered.
Johnson will be a restricted free agent after the season. His work ethic, his drive will give teams around the league reason to consider making a move to acquire Johnson to be part of their backfield, but the Browns wouldn't be disappointed to have him back for another season.
Keenum's press conference was more memorable than his performance, a game where he and Allen combined for 312 forgettable passing yards. In addition to the touchdown, Demetric Felton scored on a quick screen from the 10-yard line. Reserve running back Chris Evans caught the lone touchdown pass from Allen.
Rookie linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah walked off with trainers but was ruled out with a leg issue. Head coach Kevin Stefanski described it as a shin injury, downplaying the severity. Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott was ruled out of the game with a knee injury. He will undergo an MRI.
All-Pro guard Joel Bitonio grabbed his knee in the aftermath of a Keenum interception in the end zone just before the end of the first half. He played through it. Defensive tackle Malik McDowell was evaluated with a shoulder injury, but came back and played.
Continuing the theme of the season, the defense played at a high level for the Browns. Jadeveon Clowney notched a pair of sacks, bringing his season-total to 9 while Myles Garrett got in for his 16th of the season.
Jacob Phillips, who missed most of the season with a bicep tendon injury, had the type of game that can get a team excited for next season, totaling 8 solo tackles and a pair of tackles for loss. He also had a chance for an interception. Second year corner A.J. Green, a former undrafted free agent also played well in the game.
The Bengals wagered little in this game, playing their backups almost the entire way so they didn't lose much. More concerned with keeping their team healthy for the playoffs than focusing on seeding, they just wanted to get through the game and see who they will face in the first round. They finish the season 11-6 with a division crown. The Browns finish 8-9, a disappointing third place finish in the AFC North, but a small amount of satisfaction, beating the Bengals both times they faced them this season.
