Cleveland will play at Houston next weekend in the first round of the AFC playoffs.
“We challenged these guys to start the game the right way, and to go into the half up 24-0 was great,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “I’m proud of the way our defense (played) through three quarters, held them to zero. I’m proud of the offense for finishing the last scoring drive with a 99-yard drive. ... The last game can be tricky, but I thought our guys handled it the rigth and professional way.”
The Browns, starting former Bengals backup quarterback Jeff Driskel, managed just 71 yards of offense in the first half and didn’t get on the board until the fourth quarter with a pair of touchdowns, but they head into the postseason having won four straight games with the regular starters and hoping to be fresh for a deep run. Driskel, the fifth quarterback to start a game for Cleveland this season, completed 13 of 26 passes for 166 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Although Cincinnati is missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season, the home team achieved a lot of its goals for an otherwise meaningless game Sunday. In addition to finishing 9-8 overall and 1-5 in the AFC North, the Bengals carry momentum into a potentially busy offseason of turnover and a handful of individuals reached personal milestones that were in sight.
Running back Joe Mixon topped 1,000 yards rushing in a season for the fourth time in his career, rushing for 80 yards on six carries in the first quarter and recording two touchdowns to secure a bonus in his contract. He needed 77 yards Sunday to reach the milestone and got it with a 44-yard run that set up his second touchdown, a 6-yard reception on Jake Browning’s pass that gave Cincinnati a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
Mixon finished with 111 yards rushing on 14 carries.
“It’s cool I was able to reach that and achieve that,” Mixon said. “I definitely am never going to end up taking that for granted.”
Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase also reached 100 catches for the first time in his career, becoming just the third player in Bengals history to hit that mark. Carl Pickens also had 100 catches twice in his career, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh holds the record with 112.
Chase, who might be the only of the “Big 3″ receivers returning next season, got the four receptions he needed to get to 100 for the season early in the third quarter and exited the game. Tyler Boyd finished with just one catch for four yards in what could be his last game with the Bengals, and Tee Higgins, who also is on an expiring contract, was inactive with a hamstring injury.
Cleveland’s struggles on offense and limited plays early hurt defensive end Trey Hendrickson’s chances of finishing as the league’s sack leader. He needed 2.5 sacks to top T.J. Watt’s 19.5 sacks after Watt, who went into Week 18 tied with Hendrickson, recorded two sacks Saturday against Baltimore to move into the lead.
Hendrickson only managed to split a sack with B.J. Hill in the first quarter and exited in the third quarter but still finished with 17.5 sacks this season, his third as a Pro Bowler.
The game started off shaky for both offenses. Driskel threw an interception picked off by Jordan Battle on the opening drive and Jake Browning followed with his own miscue on a pass intended for Tyler Boyd, but Cincinnati moved the ball with ease the remainder of the half.
The Browns failed to get a first down on their first four drives, and Cincinnati led 24-0 at halftime thanks to Mixon’s two touchdowns, a 3-yard pass from Browning to Andrei Iosivas and a 45-yard field goal from Evan McPherson. The Bengals punted twice before throwing in their backups late in the third quarter. AJ McCarron replaced Browning at quarterback and left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., center Ted Karras and right guard Alex Cappa exited on a drive that resulted in just five yards and a third punt for Brad Robbins.
Iosivas tacked on his second touchdown reception of the day on the drive before that to account for the final points. Browning finishes 4-3 as a starter since replacing injured Joe Burrow.
“To get a winning record in the NFL in itself is an accomplishment,” Iosivas said. “We’re blessed to be on a squad that has expectations to reach the Super Bowl, but having a winning record is not something to look down at either.”
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