Browns – Bengals Game Preview
November 27th, 2009 | by Ward Peterson |The Bengals went into last week’s game favored to win and it looked like they were going to do just that as they took a seven point lead into the fourth quarter. However some untimely turnovers, and a Raider team that seemed to believe in itself, were all it took for the Bengals to be flying back home as losers of a 20-17 heartbreaking game.
So now instead of potentially looking past the Browns and taking them lightly, the Bengals will now be looking for away to get themselves back on track. Heightening the urgency of this game is the fact that the Bengals offense hasn’t scored more than 17 points over the past few weeks. The offense has struggled and it’s the Bengals defense that has allowed them to win some games recently.
The Browns, on the other hand, will be looking for a silver lining after one of the most devastating losses in recent memory, as the Browns fell to the Detroit Lions on the last play of the game in Week 11. The wounds of losses like that can be tough to recover from. For a team that had struggled to put any points on the board, the Browns had the best offensive performance of the 2009 season last week. It looked as if the Browns were finally going to get their second win of the season, and a win would have built confidence. Instead, a loss of that kind can just as easily build skepticism. For that reason, this could be one of coach Mangini’s greatest challenges of the season. He has put emphasis on building a team that is physically tough, with physical practices every week. The real test this week will be whether or not the team is mentally tough. If the Browns are to head on the road and beat a heavily favored Bengals squad, they will have to be equally tough mentally as physically.
Keys to The Game:
BRADY QUINN – For the first time this season, Brady Quinn looked like a legitimate NFL starting quarterback as he threw for 304 yards, four TDs, and a 133.7 passer rating. He threw every ball with confidence….even the long ones, which had allegedly been his weak area. However, it’s important to remember that he did that against the Lions and their 32nd rated pass defense. This week, they will be facing a tougher defense in the Bengals, ranked 20th in the NFL. Bengals CB Jonathan Joseph has had the best season of his career, and the team has done well getting after the quarterback. Quinn will need to make good, quick decisions, if the offense is to put up some points on Sunday.
MOHAMED MASSAQUOI – Speaking of Joseph, rookie WR Mohamed Massquoi will most likely draw Joseph in coverage on Sunday. Massaquoi had the best game of his rookie season last week, with five receptions for 115 yards and a TD. He is the de facto deep threat for the Browns, with Braylon Edwards now playing in New York. A repeat performance out of the rookie will be key, if the Browns are able to have an effective passing game on Sunday
CHRIS JENNINGS – The rookie running back had 10 carries last week for 36 yards, giving him a 3.6 yards-per-carry average, which was a half yard per carry greater than starter Jamal Lewis. He also grabbed 5 passes as well, giving Quinn a decent target out of the backfield. The Bengals have an explosive offense and will look to get out in front of the Browns quickly and then let their defense finish the Browns off. The Browns will need a solid running game on Sunday, to keep Carson Palmer and the Bengals offense off the field as much as possible.
DEFENSE – There is no question that the Browns were hurt by some odd timeouts, penalties, and crazy plays at the end of the game last week. Still, in spite of all that, if the Browns defense could have just gotten one stop when the game was on the line, the Browns would be heading into this week’s game looking for their third win, instead of their second. The Lions had the 25th rated offense in the NFL and still shredded the Browns for 35 points and 479 yards from scrimmage. That was almost a monumental collapse of the defense last week.
This week, the Bengals and their 17th rated offense will be trying to feast on that same Browns defense. The Browns defense will need to find some way to improve over the course of one week. If they don’t the Bengals offense could put this game out reach rather quickly.
