Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/2/15 http://twitter.com/nfl345 THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PREVIEW: CLEVELAND BROWNS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS Week 9 begins on Thursday night on NFL Network (8:25 PM ET) with the CINCINNATI BENGALS (7-0) hosting the CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-6) at Paul Brown Stadium. Cincinnati enters Week 9 after defeating Pittsburgh 16-10 on Sunday and improving to 7-0 for the first time in franchise history. Bengals quarterback ANDY DALTON passed for 231 yards and connected with wide receiver A.J. GREEN on a go- ahead nine-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to give Cincinnati a lead it would not relinquish. Dalton earned his 23rd career road victory, tying Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO, BEN ROETHLISBERGER and MATT RYAN for the most road wins by a starting quarterback in his first five seasons during the Super Bowl era (since 1966). “Our defense kept getting stops, the offense had chances to get it in there and eventually score touchdowns, and we did,” says Dalton. “We were able to do enough to get a touchdown at the end. The defense played great. This was a big team win. We have another divisional game this week against Cleveland. It is a short week and we need to prepare to get ready to go.” Green, who had 11 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown against Pittsburgh, enters Thursday’s matchup against Cleveland among the league leaders in receiving against divisional opponents. Since entering the league in 2011, Green ranks second in receiving yards (1,971) among AFC players against divisional foes. His 135 receptions and 14 touchdown catches each rank third in the conference against divisional opponents during that span. The AFC receiving leaders against divisional opponents since 2011: PLAYER TEAM(S) RECEPTIONS PLAYER TEAM REC. YARDS Andre Johnson Houston, Indianapolis 142 Antonio Brown Pittsburgh 2,003 Antonio Brown Pittsburgh 138 A.J. Green Cincinnati 1,971 A.J. Green Cincinnati 135 Demaryius Thomas Denver 1,866 PLAYER TEAM(S) TOUCHDOWNS Rob Gronkowski New England 18 Eric Decker Denver, New York Jets 16 A.J. Green Cincinnati 14 Cleveland enters Week 9 following a 34-20 loss to Arizona. “We don’t have a lot of time to feel sorry for ourselves,” says Cleveland head coach MIKE PETTINE. “We have a quick turnaround and have to go on the road against an undefeated team in the division.” Cleveland tight end GARY BARNIDGE had seven receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown against Arizona. Barnidge now has a career-high six touchdowns this season, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer OZZIE NEWSOME (1981 and 1983) for the third-most receiving touchdowns by a Browns tight end in a season, trailing Newsome (nine in 1975) and JORDAN CAMERON (seven in 2013). The Browns defense recorded a season-high four turnovers (three fumbles and one interception) against Arizona. Cornerback K’ WAUN WILLIAMS had two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery, while linebacker ARMONTY BRYANT forced a fumble and recovered a fumble that he returned 34 yards to setup a Browns touchdown late in the first quarter. Veteran linebacker KARLOS DANSBY recorded seven tackles and forced his first fumble of the season. “Getting turnovers is one of the things we preach,” says Browns safety TASHAUN GIPSON. “The coaches challenge us to be one of those teams that is nasty. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an interception all the time or a big hit, but be the guys who attack the ball by any means.” Gipson secured his second interception of the season last week against the Cardinals. Since 2013, his 13 interceptions are the most in the NFL. WEEK 9 – THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2015 CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-6) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (7-0) BROWNS BENGALS THURS. RECORD 5-9 5-5 SERIES LEADER 44-39 STREAKS 6 of past 9 COACHES VS. OPP. Pettine: 1-1 Lewis 16-8 LAST WEEK L 34-20 vs. Cardinals W 16-10 at Steelers LAST GAME 12/14/14: Bengals 30 at Browns 0. Cincinnati RB Jeremy Hill rushes for 148 yards & 2 TDs. Bengals K Mike Nugent records 3 FGs. LAST GAME AT SITE 11/6/14: Browns 24, Bengals 3. Cleveland RBs Terrance West & Isaiah Crowell combine for 135 rushing yards & 2 TDs. Browns QB Brian Hoyer throws for 198 yards. REFEREE Carl Cheffers BROADCAST NFLN (8:25 PM ET): Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson (field reporter). Westwood One: Ian Eagle, Tony Boselli. SIRIUS: 88 (WW1), 83 (Cle.), 93 (Cin.). XM: 225 (Cle.), 226 (Cin.). STATS PASSING Manziel: 28-50-393-3-1-93.2 OR Dalton: 153-231-1992-15-4-107.6 McCown: 165-254-1897-11-4-95.2 RUSHING Crowell: 91-295-3.2-1 Bernard: 78-439-5.6-2 RECEIVING Barnidge (TE): 40-567-14.2-6 Green: 46-649-14.1-4 OFFENSE 350.4 394.0 TAKE/GIVE -4 +4 DEFENSE 405.4 386.6 SACKS A. Bryant: 3.5 Dunlap: 6.5 INTs Dansby, Gipson: 2 Nelson: 3 PUNTING Lee: 48.9 Huber: 45.8 KICKING Coons (R): 55 (13/14 PAT; 14/14 FG) Nugent: 52 (22/23 PAT; 10/13 FG) NOTES BROWNS: In past 6, QB JOSH MC COWN has completed 160 of 246 (65 pct.) for 1,848 yards with 11 TDs vs. 4 INTs for 95.7 rating. Has 2+ TDs in 5 of past 6…RB ISAIAH CROWELL (902) needs 98 rush yards to reach 1,000 career. Rookie RB DUKE JOHNSON, JR. ranks 2nd in catches (33) & 3rd in rec. yards (331) amongst AFC RBs. Ranks 3rd amongst NFL rookies in scrimmage yards (510)…WR TRAVIS BENJAMIN has 12 career TDs (9 rec., 3 PR) & averages 45.1 yards per score. TE GARY BARNIDGE has 6 TD catches, tied for 2nd amongst NFL TEs. In past 6, has 36 catches for 512 yards & 6 TDs…LB KARLOS DANSBY leads team with 60 tackles. Since 2004, is only NFL player with 40+ sacks (41) & 15+ INTs (18). DE DESMOND BRYANT aims for 3rd in row with sack. CB K’ WUAN WILLIAMS had career-best 2 FF last week…BENGALS: Are 7-0 for 1st time ever…Last week, QB ANDY DALTON earned 23rd road win, tying HOFer DAN MARINO, BEN ROETHLISBERGER & MATT RYAN for most road wins by starting QB in 1st 5 seasons during SB era (since 1966). Has 115+ rating in 5 of past 7 overall. Has 3-1 record at home vs. Cle., incl. 2 3-TD games…In last meeting, RB JEREMY HILL rushed for 148 yards on 25 att. (5.9 avg.) & 2 TDs. Has 4 TDs in past 4 overall (3 rush, 1 rec.). RB GIOVANI BERNARD had 103 scrimmage yards (79 rush, 24 rec.) in last meeting…Last week, WR A.J. GREEN had season-high 11 catches for 118 yards, incl. go-ahead 9-yard TD in 4th qtr. In past 5 vs. AFC North, has 45 catches for 700 yards (140 per game) & 4 TDs. TE TYLER EIFERT leads team with 6 TD rec., tied for 2nd among NFL TEs…DT GENO ATKINS has sack in 5 of past 7, incl. 1 last week. Since entering NFL in 2010, leads AFC DTs with 37 sacks. .