Browns held scoreless by the Bengals
In their most listless performance of a thoroughly dismal season, the Cleveland Browns were shut out at home Sunday by the Cincinnati Bengals, 14-0.
The defeat was the Browns’ fifth straight, and it marked the fifth consecutive game that their offense failed to score a touchdown. Cleveland fell to 4-11 and will travel to Pittsburgh for the season finale this coming Sunday against the AFC North champion Steelers (11-4).
The Browns finished their home schedule with a 1-7 record.
“It was a tough way to end the home season after what we did last year (when the Browns went 7-1 at home and 10-6 overall),” Browns head coach Romeo Crennel said. “It was a tough game, and we turned the ball over. We didn’t play the way we needed to play to win this game.”
On a frigid and windy afternoon at Cleveland Browns Stadium, the Bengals (3-11-1) scored on a 50-yard interception return by cornerback Leon Hall with 8:30 left in the first quarter. It was the only touchdown the Bengals would need, but they added another on a 20-yard pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Chris Henry with 8:02 remaining in the second period.
Cedric Benson, a former first-round draft choice of the Chicago Bears, rushed for a career-high 171 yards on 38 carries for the Bengals, who attempted just nine passes.
“I think this may have been one of my biggest games as a professional,” Benson said. “It feels awesome. That was some smash-mouth football right there. Bengals and Browns football is a great tradition and has a great history.”
Fitzpatrick, who has been filling in for starting quarterback Carson Palmer since Cincinnati's fourth game of the season (a 20-12 loss to the Browns on Sept. 28), completed 5 of 9 passes Sunday for 55 yards.
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“They didn’t even have to throw the ball,” Browns cornerback Brandon McDonald said about the Bengals. “They were just running the ball and controlling the clock. They got first downs when they needed them by running. They were never forced to throw the ball. We couldn’t do anything on offense.”
Cincinnati's Hall intercepted three passes from Cleveland quarterback Ken Dorsey, who completed 10 of 17 passing attempts for just 68 yards before leaving the game with a rib injury late in the fourth quarter. Bruce Gradkowski, who directed the Browns' final two drives, completed 2 of 5 passes for 8 yards and threw an interception to Bengals linebacker Brandon Johnson.
Jamal Lewis rushed for 76 yards on 16 carries for the Browns and surpassed the 10,000-yard rushing plateau for his career.
By Tom Kessler
ProFootball-fans.com Cleveland Browns Correspondent