The Cleveland Browns welcome their in-state rivals to Huntington Bank Field on Sunday, and there’s one thing that the Browns need to do in order to put the Bengals back in the basement where they belong.
Cincinnati lost a good portion of its linebacker core this offseason, with Germaine Pratt
forcing his way out and signing with the Las Vegas Raiders, and Akeem Davis-Gaither signing with the Arizona Cardinals in free agency.Both of these players were incredibly productive for the Bengals over the past
five seasons, and Pratt was one of the defensive leaders for the team. Pratt was also the “green dot” on defense, relaying the plays and making adjustments for former DC Lou Anarumo’s defense (who is also gone in 2025).
Needless to say, Cincinnati’s defense lacks the proven ability to stop the run at the 2nd-level of the defense right now. They’re currently projected to start Logan Wilson at MIKE, rookie Demetrius Knight Jr. at WILL, and underwhelming veteran Oren Burks at SAM in their base defense. There’s an incredibly good chance that the Browns will be able to run all over the Bengals’ defense on Sunday, and if they do, it’s undoubtedly going to be “lights out” for Zac Taylor’s squad in week one.
Cincinnati’s defensive line should be no match for Cleveland’s above-average starting five, especially on the interior. Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, and Wyatt Teller should be able to dominate the Bengals’ defensive tackles all game long.
It’s going to be imperative for Ken Stefanski and Co. to lean on the run game early, as this will undoubtedly “soften” up the underneath coverage and open up the field for Joe Flacco and the Browns’ passing game. Cincinnati has a fairly good passing defense in general, so that’s another reason to establish the run game early. If Cleveland can get some early momentum and move the ball down the field fairly well on its first couple of scripted drives, it’ll be hard for the Bengals to regain leverage in the matchup.
Jerome Ford, Dylan Sampson, and Raheim Sanders have a good chance to get off to an explosive start to the 2025 season, and they’ll be integral parts of (hopefully) forcing Cincinnati to play from behind for the majority of the game against the Browns’ ruthless defense.
What are some of your other keys to the game for Cleveland? Join fellow Browns fans in the comment section below.
