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Week 4 Game Recap: Cleveland Browns 20, Cincinnati Bengals 12
What you need to know
| Cleveland Browns |
QB Derek Anderson started extremely slow, having a terrible first half. He often missed receivers and threw into good coverage. In the second half he got going after he ran 11 yards for a first down. He started stringing together receptions again, his main targets being Kellen Winslow and Braylon Edwards.
RB Jamal Lewis had a short touchdown run off of a Ryan Fitzpatrick turnover. Lewis was not making people miss, but he was falling forward and showing good vision to gain as many yards as possible.
WR Braylon Edwards made a nice one handed touchdown catch on a fade route. His hands seemed to be very solid against the Bengals although many of the targets thrown his way were uncatchable. TE Kellen Winslow caught five balls in the second half and he seemed to be what calmed Derek Anderson down.
| Cincinnati Bengals |
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick started in place of Carson Palmer who was a late scratch with an elbow issue. Fitzpatrick looked out of tune with the offense, unable to control the game at all. He was responsible for three interceptions and a fumble which ultimately ended up sealing up the loss for the Bengals.
RB Chris Perry was unable to be effective against the Browns rush defense. He only rushed for 28 yards and also fumbled the ball once. The offensive line of the Bengals offered Perry little help.
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh led the receiving corps with six catches, most of them coming over the middle of the field. Chad Johnson caught a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter by making a nice move in the end zone to free himself up from the coverage.
What you ought to know
| QB Derek Anderson, Pass: 15 - 24 - 138 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 4 - 11 - 0 |
Anderson struggled early, but pulled it together in the second half. He calmed down and started stringing together a few receptions which led the Browns to victory. He was completely ineffective in the first half, as he was unable to hit wide open receivers on multiple occasions. It seemed like everything shifted back from stress to fun once he ran for 11 yards and a first down in the third quarter.
| RB Jamal Lewis, Rush: 25 - 79 - 1, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (2 targets) |
Lewis worked hard at grinding out yards all day. He was unable to gain yards in bunches, and often faced pressure from the Cincinnati defense before he was out of the backfield. His rushing TD involved him leaping up and putting the ball over the goalline, showing that he still has the awareness and ability to get into the end zone.
| RB Jason Wright, Rush: 5 - 18 - 0, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (1 targets) |
Wright shared time with Jerome Harrison in changing the pace of the Cleveland rushing attack. He looked very quick on the field and made a couple good cuts when he was in.
| RB Jerome Harrison, Rush: 4 - 20 - 0, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (3 targets) |
Harrison continues to be used as a change of pace back that comes in often for screen passes. He was also used on an end around and a pitch out play that were both successful, however he was a yard short of a first down that looked easily within reach when he danced around trying to make a big play.
| RB Lawrence Vickers, Rush: 1 - 6 - 0, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) |
Vickers served as the fullback and continues to sneak out of the backfield unexpectedly to make a catch or two a game.
| WR Braylon Edwards, Rec: 3 - 22 - 1 (5 targets) |
Edwards was visibly frustrated early in the game about how the offense was being run, but eventually calmed down and made some plays. He made a couple of touch catches, one being a one handed catch in the end zone for a touchdown.
| WR Syndric Steptoe, Rec: 2 - 24 - 0 (2 targets) |
Steptoe was the second wide out for the Browns, and he made a couple of nice catches on the day. He should move down to the third wide receiver when Donte Stallworth gets back from his injury.
| WR Josh Cribbs, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 (1 targets) |
Cribbs was used sparingly, but started to run back kicks better which could lead to more offensive touches.
| WR Steve Sanders (1 targets) |
Sanders saw limited action as a wide out against the Bengals.
| TE Kellen Winslow Jr, Rec: 5 - 54 - 0 (8 targets) |
Winslow was the key to getting Derek Anderson back on track. He made a couple of short catches that calmed him down and led the Browns into the red zone with a tough catch later in the drive. He continues to show amazing hands.
| PK Phil Dawson 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points |
Dawson made two short field goals and showed no problems doing so.
| CLE Rush Defense |
The Browns completely dominated the Bengals' rushing attack. They pushed the line into the backfield and forced Ryan Fitzpatrick to try to carry the team.
| CLE Pass Defense |
Cleveland's passing defense was solid, pressuring Ryan Fitzpatrick often and coming up with four turnovers.
| QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, Pass: 21 - 35 - 156 - 1 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 4 - 41 - 0 |
Fitzpatrick looked out of synch all day, looking uneasy in the pocket and being late on his reads. He threw three interceptions and lost a fumble, and seemed to try to force some throws in where coverage was tight. He took off running several times when he was unable to locate a receiver.
| QB Carson Palmer |
Palmer was a surprise late scratch and sat out the game against the Browns with an elbow issue.
| RB Chris Perry, Rush: 12 - 28 - 0, Rec: 5 - 15 - 0 (8 targets) |
Perry was ineffective running the ball because there was nowhere for him to run. Cleveland was in the backfield early and often. Perry was involved heavily in the passing game as Fitzpatrick often checked down to him.
| WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Rec: 6 - 50 - 0 (8 targets) |
Houshmandzadeh was the most successful receiver for the Bengals, as he caught six of the eight balls thrown his way. His longest catch was 15 yards, though, so he could not break away from the Cleveland pass defense.
| WR Chad Johnson, Rec: 3 - 28 - 1 (7 targets) |
Johnson was covered well all day, but did escape for a short touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter. He looked okay but Fitzpatrick was unable to deliver him the ball.
| WR Antonio Chatman, Rec: 2 - 32 - 0 (8 targets) |
Chatman only caught two of the eight balls thrown his way, but many of those throws were forced into tight coverage. He was the third receiver for the Bengals.
| TE Reggie Kelly, Rec: 3 - 21 - 0 (4 targets) |
Kelly was used underneath and caught three of the four balls thrown his way.
| TE Ben Utecht, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) |
Utecht was the second tight end for the Bengals and caught both of the balls thrown his way, although he totaled only ten yards on the game.
| PK Shayne Graham 2 - 2 FG, 0 - 0 XP, 6 points |
Graham made both of his field goal attempts and looked good, hitting from 42 and 45 yards.
| CIN Rush Defense |
The Bengals looked like they were in for a long day, giving up 45 yards on the first possession but they tightened up and held the Browns to 134 yards on the day.
| CIN Pass Defense |
The pass defense gave up some big plays and allowed a confused Derek Anderson to rebuild his confidence and lead the Browns to two second half touchdowns. They pressured Anderson well but could not prevent him from getting back into a groove and leading the Browns to two passing touchdowns.
