Joe Burrow has been sacked 12 times by Myles Garrett. No. 13 on Sunday would give Garrett the single-season sack record. (Cincinnati Bengals)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Browns v. Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, 1 p.m., in Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Record: 6-10.
Last game: Defeated Arizona Cardinals, 37-14, December 17, in Cincinnati.
Head coach: Zac Taylor, 56-64-1, seventh year.
Series record: Bengals lead, 56-48.
Last meeting: Bengals won, 17-16, September 7, in Cleveland.
League rankings: Offense is 18th overall (31st rushing, sixth passing), defense is 32nd overall (32nd rushing, 27th passing), and turnover differential is minus-2.
Things to watch
1. Since returning on November 27 after missing nine games with a severe turf toe injury, Joe Burrow is 123 of 184 for 1,384 yards, 12 touchdowns, four interceptions and a passer rating of 101.8. Burrow threw two INTs in each of the only two losses in the five games he’s been back. Despite his history of injuries, Burrow insisted on playing out the season after the Bengals were eliminated from the playoffs on December 14. Reports or rumors of Burrow wanting out of Cincinnati are greatly exaggerated.
2. Another exaggeration about the Bengals is the inferior quality of their offensive line. They mostly have fielded the same offensive line for the whole season, with only sporadic changes at guard. The difference now from their Game 1 meeting in Cleveland is that both guards -- rookie Dylan Fairchild and Dalton Risner -- have been able to play together; whereas they were new to start the season. Over the last 11 games, which began with the first game Joe Flacco filled in for Burrow, the Bengals have the fourth-lowest sack percentage in the NFL. In that span they have averaged 28.2 points per game, including one game in which they were shut out.
3. After hitting a speed bump through the first three games with Jake Browning at QB after Burrow’s injury, the Bengals skill players have rebounded into form. Ja’Marr Chase (117 receptions, 1,316 yards, 7 TD), Tee Higgins (53, 779, 10) and Andrei Iosivas (31, 425, 2) form one of the finest receiver threesomes. Running back Chase Brown is having his best year (947 rushing yards, 6 TD and 419 receiving yards, 4 TD).
4. The defense seems to be finally hitting its stride in the first season under coordinator Al Golden. Since the bye week, the defense has allowed 21.5 points per game (not including two offensive Pick 6’s and one fumble return). That’s a big improvement from their overall average of 29.5 ppg. And they’ve done it with ace pass rusher Trey Hendrickson missing the last eight games with a hip injury and No. 1 pick Shemar Stewart missing four games with an ankle injury and six games with a knee injury.
5. Kickoff returner Charlie Jones, who has a 98-yard TD return, is out with an ankle injury and has been replaced by less-lethal Ke’Shawn Williams. Kicker Evan McPherson remains one of the NFL’s best. He’s 25 of 28 on field goals with a franchise-record make of 63 yards and is 41 of 42 on PATs. He made 6 of 6 field goals in a 32-14 win over Baltimore.
Did you know … ?
1. In nine games against the Browns, Joe Burrow is 4-5 and has been sacked 30 times. Twelve of the sacks were credited to Myles Garrett, matching Lamar Jackson for the most-sacked QBs among Garrett’s 124.5 in his career.
2. Kevin Stefanski’s six wins against the Bengals (vs. five losses) are his most against any team as Browns head coach.
3. Cornerback D.J. Turner’s 18 PBUs (passes broken up) are tied for second in the NFL this year. He had an interception in Game 1 to protect a 1-point lead over the Browns.
4. Tee Higgins has done something his more heralded receiver teammate Ja’Marr Chase has not done. Higgins has back-to-back years of 10 or more TDs.
5. The 141 total yards offense produced by the Bengals in Game 1 against the Browns is their lowest output of the season.
6. The Bengals’ 11 takeaways over the last five games trail only Jacksonville (12) and Minnesota (12) in that stretch.
Small world: Quarterback Joe Flacco played for the Browns in 2023 and 2025 and had a record of 5-5 (counting postseason) in games he started … offensive line coach Scott Peters was offensive line assistant with the Browns from 2020-23 … offensive line assistant Michael McCarthy was a Browns offensive quality control coach in 2015 … assistant special teams coach Ben Jacobs was a Browns linebacker in 2011-12.