Observations From the Cincinnati Bengals’ 24-3 Loss to the Cleveland Browns

Another season opener, another slow start for the Cincinnati Bengals, who fell to the Cleveland Browns 24-3 at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense had the worst first half of the quarterback’s career and never got much going in the second half.

Burrow’s rough day started when he took a big hit on the first play, then got sacked a few plays later on 3rd-and-5 to force the first of seven first-half punts. The second series ended when tight end Irv Smith Jr. dropped a pass on 3rd-and-1, setting the tone for what would be a frustrating day for the offense.

Here are three quick observations from the game.

Cincinnati Bengals Week 1 Recap

Dismal Day, Dreary Offense

The misting rain wreaked havoc on the football, with many of Ted Karras’ snaps and Burrow’s throws fluttering. Burrow was 6 of 14 for 36 yards in the first 30 minutes, marking his lowest first-half passing total of his career. His previous low was 51 yards in his first career start, the 2020 season opener against the Chargers.

The Bengals were 1 of 8 on third downs, with a 12-yard pass from Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase accounting for the only conversion and Burrow’s longest pass of the first half. The offense finished 2 of 15 on third down and recorded only six first downs all day, one of which was via penalty.

Burrow eventually went to wearing a glove on his right hand to try to get a better grip on the ball, but the offense still was unable to move the chains. Burrow went back and forth between wearing the glove and playing barehanded the rest of the afternoon.

The Browns struggled with the weather as well but managed to put together a nine-play, 67-yard touchdown drive to take a 10-0 lead with 17 seconds left before halftime. The Browns outgained the Bengals 201-97.

Tee Higgins had no catches on seven targets through three quarters. He finished with no catches on eight targets.

The dagger came early in the fourth quarter when the Bengals, trailing 16-3, went for it on 4th-and-4 from their own 31, and Myles Garrett sacked Burrow. The Browns converted that into a Watson three-yard touchdown pass to Harrison Bryant with 9:11 left in the game. Watson ran in the two-point conversion for a 24-3 lead.

Burrow, fresh off signing a five-year, $275 extension to become the highest-paid player in the league, finished 14 of 31 for 82 yards.

His previous career low was 148 in a 32-13 win at Las Vegas in 2021. Burrow’s three lowest passing totals before Sunday were all posted in victories. His previous low in a loss was 183 at Baltimore his rookie year, a 27-3 defeat.

The Bengals are 1-3 in season openers with Burrow as quarterback.

Rough Rookie Debut

Rookie punter Brad Robbins had a rough — and busy — debut. He punted seven times in the first half, marking just the second time since at least 1991 that the Bengals have punted that many times in a first half. The other game was the 27-0 loss at Indianapolis in 2014, when they punted eight times.

Robbins’ first five punts were for 35, 45, 41, 37, and 38 yards. The 35-yarder came from near midfield and was fair caught at the 14. The 38-yarder was at the Cleveland 38, with head coach Zac Taylor electing not to go for it on 4th-and-3. Robbins punted the ball into the end zone for an 18-yard net.

His final two punts of the first half were for 54 and 44 yards, with neither one being returned.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Robbins nearly dropped the snap and then shanked a 22-yard punt to give the Browns the ball at their 36-yard line.

Robbins’ final punt of the game was one of his best, a 52-yard effort. He finished with an average of 40.9 and a net average of 37.0.

Surprising Rookie Debut

Rookie second-round pick DJ Turner got his first defensive snap on the opening series and continued to sub in for Chidobe Awuzie throughout the first half.

Turner started the second half and played the first two series. Awuzie returned to play the third series, but the Bengals went back to Turner on the next drive.

MORE: “We Want Him Here Forever” — Bengals Reactions to Joe Burrow’s Contract

Sending Awuzie in and out likely was due to load maintenance, as this was his first game back from an ACL tear on the same field last Halloween. We will get more information from Taylor in his postgame news conference.

The Bengals employed another rotation with the third-down back role, with both Chris Evans and Trayveon Williams getting opportunities. Evans had a big blitz pickup on a deep shot Burrow took for Chase that resulted in a pass interference penalty and set up the team’s first and only points, a 42-yard field goal by Evan McPherson in the third quarter.