Bengals bury Browns behind Burrow’s precision and Chase Brown’s hat trick

CLEVELAND, OH - The Cincinnati Bengals opened Season 33 with a ruthless, wire-to-wire 35-14 win over the Cleveland Browns. Quarterback Joe Burrow dissected Cleveland's defense with surgical efficiency, while halfback Chase Brown punched in three red-zone touchdowns to cap a statement road performance.

How it happened

Cincinnati controlled the tone from the jump. Burrow completed 29 of 33 passes for 350 yards and two scores, consistently winning on early downs and keeping the Browns off-balance with quick game and play-action. His first-half rhythm throws to Tee Higgins and Andrei Iosivas stretched the field; both receivers later cashed in for touchdowns. When Cleveland tightened between the 20s, Brown finished drives with three short scoring runs behind a physical interior.

By the numbers

The Bengals piled up 422 offensive yards to Cleveland's 244 and converted 62.5% on third down. They reached the red zone five times and came away with points on three touchdowns (60.0%). The Browns managed 278 total yards and were 6-for-13 (46.2%) on third down, with just two red-zone trips.

Standouts

Higgins posted 11 receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown, while Iosivas added eight grabs for 116 yards and a score. Tight end Mike Gesicki (5/43) and Ja'Marr Chase (3/44) kept the chains moving. Defensively, tackle BJ Hill recorded 1.5 sacks and safety Daxton Hill snagged the game's lone interception (22-yard return).

For Cleveland, quarterback Joe Flacco finished 18-of-34 for 196 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Tight end David Njoku led the Browns with five catches for 41 yards, and rookie back Quinshon Judkins added a short rushing score. Edge rusher Mike Graham was a bright spot defensively with 2.5 sacks.

What it means

Cincinnati looked every bit the contender, pairing an efficient passing script with timely red-zone power. Cleveland's front generated pressure (three sacks) but couldn't get off the field on third down or contain the Bengals' balanced target tree.

Up next

The Bengals return to Cincinnati for their home opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Browns hit the road for a divisional showdown with the Baltimore Ravens.