Denzel Ward returned an interception for a touchdown, Baker Mayfield and Kareem Hunt had one rushing touchdown apiece, and the Cleveland Browns held on for a 27-19 win over the visiting Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon.
Nick Chubb added a team-high 106 rushing yards on 15 carries for Cleveland (6-7), which earned its fourth win in five games. The victory came despite a bumpy performance by Mayfield, who completed 11 of 24 passes for 192 yards and two interceptions.
Joe Mixon had 186 yards from scrimmage (146 rushing, 40 receiving) and a touchdown for Cincinnati (1-12), which is winless on the road in seven games. Andy Dalton completed 22 of 38 passes for 262 yards and one interception.
Cleveland has won three games in a row against its in-state rivals. The Bengals had won seven straight meetings from 2014-17.
The Browns struck quickly after halftime to increase their lead to 21-13. Hunt scored on a 3-yard rush to cap a six-play, 75-yard drive that took only 2:50 off the clock. A 57-yard rush by Chubb, who weaved through defenders, set up the scoring chance.
The Bengals closed the gap to 21-16 on a 28-yard field goal by Randy Bullock, but the Browns responded with a 53-yard field goal by Austin Seibert in the final minute of the third quarter to make it 24-16.
Seibert added a 31-yard field goal with 1:09 left in the fourth quarter.
Bullock capped the scoring with a 46-yarder with 16 seconds left, but Cleveland recovered an onside kick attempt moments later.
Cleveland clung to a 14-13 lead at the half.
Bullock connected on two field goals for the Bengals in the first quarter, but the Browns' defense notched the game's first touchdown when Ward intercepted Dalton and returned it 61 yards to the house.
It was the first career pick-six for Ward, the No. 4 overall pick in 2018.
Cincinnati regained the lead on a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Mixon that made it 13-7 with 12:07 remaining in the half. After going the first nine games of the season without a rushing touchdown, Mixon has scored on the ground three times in the past four weeks.
The Browns pulled in front with 6:37 to go before halftime. Mayfield kept the ball and lunged for the left pylon for a 7-yard score.
--Field Level Media
Cincinnati | Cleveland | |
Joe Mixon | Player | Nick Chubb |
23 | Attempts | 15 |
146 | Yards | 106 |
6.4 | Avg Yards | 7.1 |
1 | Touchdowns | 0 |
26 | Long | 57 |
Cincinnati | Cleveland | |
Tyler Boyd | Player | Jarvis Landry |
5 | Receptions | 4 |
75 | Yards | 76 |
15.0 | Avg Yards | 19.0 |
0 | Touchdowns | 0 |
21 | Long | 34 |
Yards | Scoring | Defense | ||||||
Team | Tot | Rus | Pas | TD | FG | INT | Sck | FF |
Cincinnati | 451 | 179 | 272 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 |
Cleveland | 333 | 146 | 187 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2.0 | 1 |