Three takeaways from Bengals' Week 1 win over Browns

The Cincinnati Bengals narrowly beat the Cleveland Browns on the road, beginning the season with a 17-16 win on Sunday.

It's Cincinnati's first Week 1 victory since 2021, despite a poor offensive showing. Here are three takeaways from the win over the Browns: 

Bengals' offensive line is still struggling

Myles Garrett had a fantastic showing, per usual, against the Bengals. He recorded two sacks in the fourth quarter, which gave the Browns a chance to take the lead. The line also struggled to establish the run. Chase Brown averaged just 2.1 yards per carry and failed often in short-yardage scenarios. 

Burrow was tied for the least amount of time per throw in 2024, according to PFF. He is one of the best in the business at throwing under pressure, but that does not excuse lackluster blocking. Joe Burrow was under duress for much of the second half and held to just 25 passing yards. That will not work against playoff teams in the NFL. 

Al Golden's defense looks revitalized

All of the offseason concerns regarding Trey Hendrickson can be buried. He looked his normal self in their opener, recording three tackles and a sack. The rest of the line also stepped up. Joseph Ossai made some great plays, and B.J. Hill recorded a sack of his own. Most importantly, the Bengals held the Cleveland Browns to under 50 rushing yards. It was a great day for this young group of linemen and linebackers. 

The secondary looked a bit shaky but turned up when it counted. Turnovers were a major factor in the win. DJ Turner II came away with an interception late in the fourth quarter on a tipped pass. It was one of two turnovers for Cincinnati that swayed the game in their favor. 

Quiet day from the Bengals' WR room

The Bengals went out and spent a lot of money to keep their superstar receiving corps together. Despite the financial commitment, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combined for just 59 yards on the day. 

Historically, it is a tough matchup against the Browns secondary. Chase has not broken the 100-yard mark against Cleveland since 2022. Expect the duo to bounce back in Week 2 against a more favorable Jacksonville Jaguars secondary.