Bengals–Browns rivalry

Cincinnati Bengals–Cleveland Browns

Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns
Teams	Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns
First meeting	October 11, 1970 Cleveland Browns 30, Cincinnati Bengals 27
Latest meeting	October 23, 2016 Cincinnati Bengals 31, Cleveland Browns 17
Next meeting	December 11, 2016
Statistics
Meetings total	86
All-time series	Cincinnati leads, 47–39
Largest victory	Cleveland, 34–0 (10/18/1987); Cincinnati 37–3 (12/6/2015)
Longest win streak	Cleveland: 7 (1992–95) Cincinnati: 5 (2004–06)

The Bengals–Browns rivalry, dubbed The Battle of Ohio by fans, is a rivalry between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). It has produced 2 of the 8 highest scoring games in NFL history. The Bengals lead the series 47–39.

Geography and a shared heritage add to this rivalry. Cleveland (Northeast) and Cincinnati (Southwest) are on opposite corners of the Buckeye State, and essentially split Ohio. Both teams were founded by head coach Paul Brown, the namesake of the Original Browns franchise, who created the Bengals after he was fired from the Browns. The colors of each team are similar, since the Browns recently updated their colors to choose the same shade of orange used the Bengals.

In 1989, Bengals coach Sam Wyche told Cincinnati fans during a game between the Bengals and Seattle Seahawks at Riverfront Stadium, "You don't live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati!" in response to debris being thrown from the stands.^[1]

The Bengals and Browns first played in 1970. Previously, the Bengals were a part of the American Football League. After the AFL–NFL merger the Bengals and Browns were placed in the AFC Central Division. They have played twice a year since 1970, except in 1982 due to Player's strike-shortened season and 1996–98 due to the Browns being inactive as a result of the Browns' relocation to Baltimore and a subsequent expansion franchise being awarded to Cleveland. The Browns and Bengals have never met in the playoffs.

1970s (Series tied 10–10)

Season	Date	Result	Location	Notes
1970	October 11	Browns 30 Bengals 27	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	The inaugural game.
	November 15	Bengals 14 Browns 10	Riverfront Stadium
1971	October 17	Browns 27 Bengals 24	Riverfront Stadium
	December 5	Browns 31  Bengals 27	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1972	October 1	Browns 27  Bengals 6	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	December 9	Browns 27  Bengals 24	Riverfront Stadium
1973	October 7	Browns 17  Bengals 10	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	December 9	Bengals 34  Browns 17	Riverfront Stadium
1974	September 15	Bengals 33  Browns 7	Riverfront Stadium
	October 13	Bengals 34 Browns 24	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1975	September 21	Bengals 24 Browns 17	Riverfront Stadium
	November 23	Browns 35 Bengals 23	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1976	October 3	Bengals 45 Browns 24	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	October 31	Bengals 21 Browns 6	Riverfront Stadium
1977	September 18	Browns 13 Bengals 3	Riverfront Stadium
	November 6	Bengals 10 Browns 7	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1978	September 10	Browns 13 Bengals 10 (OT)	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	December 17	Bengals 48 Browns 16	Riverfront Stadium
1979	October 21	Browns 28 Bengals 27	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	December 16	Bengals 16 Browns 12	Riverfront Stadium

1980s (Bengals 10–9)

Year	Date	Result	Location	Notes
1980	November 23	Browns 31 Bengals 7	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	December 21	Browns 27 Bengals 24	Riverfront Stadium
1981	September 20	Browns 20 Bengals 17	Riverfront Stadium
	November 29	Bengals 41 Browns 21	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1982	September 27		Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Cancelled by the nine-week players strike
	December 12	Bengals 23 Browns 10	Riverfront Stadium	Only season in which the teams met just once
1983	September 15	Browns 17 Bengals 7	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Thursday Night Football.
	October 23	Bengals 28 Browns 21	Riverfront Stadium
1984	October 21	Bengals 12 Browns 9	Riverfront Stadium	Cle: Steve Cox 60 yard FG – team record.
	December 2	Bengals 20 Browns 17 (OT)	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Cin: Jim Breech 35 yard GW-FG in OT.
1985	November 10	Bengals 27 Browns 10	Riverfront Stadium
	November 24	Browns 24 Bengals 6	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1986	September 18	Bengals 30 Browns 13	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Thursday Night Football.
	December 14	Browns 34 Bengals 3	Riverfront Stadium
1987	October 18	Browns 34 Bengals 0	Riverfront Stadium
	December 13	Browns 38 Bengals 24	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1988	September 25	Bengals 24 Browns 17	Riverfront Stadium
	October 30	Browns 23 Bengals 16	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1989	September 25	Bengals 21 Browns 14	Riverfront Stadium
	December 3	Bengals 21 Browns 0	Cleveland Municipal Stadium

1990s (Bengals 8–6 overall: Series tied 6-6 between original teams, Bengals 2-0 vs expansion Browns)

Year	Year	Result	Location	Notes
1990	October 22	Bengals 34 Browns 13	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Monday Night Football.
	December 30	Bengals 21 Browns 14	Riverfront Stadium
1991	September 15	Browns 14 Bengals 13	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	November 3	Bengals 23 Browns 21	Riverfront Stadium
1992	November 1	Bengals 30 Browns 10	Riverfront Stadium
	December 6	Browns 37 Bengals 21	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1993	September 5	Browns 27 Bengals 14	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	October 17	Browns 28 Bengals 17	Riverfront Stadium
1994	September 4	Browns 28 Bengals 20	Riverfront Stadium	Cle: Eric Metcalf 92 yard punt return for TD – team record
	October 23	Browns 37 Bengals 13	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1995	October 29	Browns 29 Bengals 26 (OT)	Riverfront Stadium	Cle: Matt Stover 5 FG (team record), including GW 28 yarder in OT
	December 17	Browns 26 Bengals 10	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Last game played at Municipal Stadium. Last matchup between the Bengals and the original Browns.
1999	October 10	Bengals 18 Browns 17	Cleveland Browns Stadium	First game between the Bengals and the expansion Browns.
	December 12	Bengals 44 Browns 28	Cinergy Field	Last game at Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field

2000s (Bengals 12–8)

Year	Date	Result	Location	Notes
2000	September 10	Browns 24 Bengals 7	Paul Brown Stadium	First game in Paul Brown Stadium.
	October 29	Bengals 12 Browns 3	Cleveland Browns Stadium
2001	October 14	Bengals 24 Browns 14	Paul Brown Stadium
	November 25	Browns 18 Bengals 0	Cleveland Browns Stadium
2002	September 15	Browns 20 Bengals 7	Cleveland Browns Stadium
	November 17	Browns 27 Bengals 20	Paul Brown Stadium
2003	September 28	Bengals 21 Browns 14	Cleveland Browns Stadium
	December 28	Browns 22 Bengals 14	Paul Brown Stadium
2004	October 17	Browns 34 Bengals 17	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Browns QB Jeff Garcia completed a 99-yard TD pass to WR André Davis, marking the 10th time in NFL history that a 99-yard TD play was recorded.
	November 28	Bengals 58 Browns 48	Paul Brown Stadium	2nd highest scoring game in NFL history. Cle: Kelly Holcomb 413 yards passing, 5 TD. (Tied team record) Cin: Rudi Johnson 202 yards rushing, 2 TD. Chad Johnson 10 rec. 117 yards.
2005	September 11	Bengals 27 Browns 13	Cleveland Browns Stadium
	December 11	Bengals 23 Browns 20	Paul Brown Stadium
2006	September 17	Bengals 34 Browns 17	Paul Brown Stadium
	November 26	Bengals 30 Browns 0	Cleveland Browns Stadium	First time the Bengals shutout the Browns In Cleveland New Stadium
2007	September 16	Browns 51 Bengals 45	Cleveland Browns Stadium	8th highest scoring game in NFL history. CLE: 554 yards 3rd most in team history. QB Derek Anderson 328 yards passing 5 TD (Tied team record). RB Jamal Lewis 216 yards rushing. CIN: Carson Palmer 401 yards passing 6 TD (team record). Chad Johnson 11 rec. 209 yards 2 TD receiving.
	December 23	Bengals 19 Browns 14	Paul Brown Stadium	Browns controlled their own playoff destiny going into the game, however QB Derek Anderson throws 4 interceptions. Most of the Bengals' points came from these interceptions. Despite an attempt to come back, the Browns lose to the Bengals 19–14. Cincinnati has now won the last 4 meetings at Paul Brown Stadium after Cleveland won 3 of the first 4.
2008	September 28	Browns 20 Bengals 12	Paul Brown Stadium
	December 21	Bengals 14 Browns 0	Cleveland Browns Stadium
2009	October 4	Bengals 23 (OT) Browns 20	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Bengals won in OT with a Shayne Graham field goal.
	November 29	Bengals 16 Browns 7	Paul Brown Stadium

2010s (Bengals 8–4)

Year	Date	Result	Location	Notes
2010	October 3	Browns 23 Bengals 20	Cleveland Browns Stadium
	December 19	Bengals 19 Browns 17	Paul Brown Stadium
2011	September 11	Bengals 27 Browns 17	Cleveland Browns Stadium
	November 27	Bengals 23 Browns 20	Paul Brown Stadium
2012	September 16	Bengals 34 Browns 27	Paul Brown Stadium
	October 14	Browns 34 Bengals 24	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Though outgained in total yardage 438–328, the Browns forced four Bengals turnovers
2013	September 29	Browns 17 Bengals 6	First Energy Stadium
	November 17	Bengals 41 Browns 20	Paul Brown Stadium
2014	November 6	Browns 24 Bengals 3	Paul Brown Stadium	Browns move to first place in the AFC North and 6–3 for the first time since 1994. Andy Dalton completes just 10 of 33 passes, en route to a 2.0 passer rating. The biggest margin of victory for the Browns over the Bengals since 1987, and their first win in Cincinnati since 2008.
	December 14	Bengals 30 Browns 0	FirstEnergy Stadium	Johnny Manziel makes his first NFL start, completing just 10 of 18 passes for 80 yards and two interceptions, with a passer rating of 27.3. Also the second time ever and first time since 2006 the Bengals have shutout the Browns in their new stadium. Incidentally, this game's final score was identical to the aforementioned 2006 game in Cleveland.
2015	November 5	Bengals 31 Browns 10	Paul Brown Stadium	Thursday Night Football
	December 6	Bengals 37 Browns 3	FirstEnergy Stadium	Bengals sweep the Browns for the first time since 2011.

See also

• Governor's Cup (Missouri)
• Governor's Cup (Texas)
• Ohio Cup (MLB)
• Victory Bell (Miami–Cincinnati)

References

1. Sam Wyche "You don't live in Cleveland" speech on YouTube

• Recap, 2004 Bengals 58 Browns 48
• Bengals All-Time Results vs. Browns