CINCINNATI (6-8) at CLEVELAND (6-7-1)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
OPENING LINE - Browns by 7 ½
RECORD VS. SPREAD - Cincinnati 9-5, Cleveland 7-7
SERIES RECORD - Bengals lead 50-40
LAST MEETING - Browns beat Bengals 35-20, Nov. 25
LAST WEEK - Bengals beat Raiders 30-16; Browns beat Broncos 17-16
AP PRO32 RANKING - Bengals No. 27, Browns No. 16
BENGALS OFFENSE - OVERALL (25), RUSH (23), PASS (23)
BENGALS DEFENSE - OVERALL (32), RUSH (29), PASS (29)
BROWNS OFFENSE - OVERALL (16), RUSH (13), PASS (16)
BROWNS DEFENSE - OVERALL (29), RUSH (24), PASS (30)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Browns haven’t swept season series since 2002. Trying for first back-to-back wins over Bengals since 2012-13 seasons. … Bengals ended five-game losing streak - third longest in coach Marvin Lewis’ 17 seasons - with win over Raiders. … Loss in Cleveland would clinch last place in AFC North for only second time under Lewis (also in 2010). … Bengals haven’t won on road since 37-36 victory at Atlanta on Sept 30 and dropped last three. … Former Browns coach Hue Jackson returns for first time since being fired on Oct. 29, and will get frosty reception from Cleveland fans. … Bengals QB Jeff Driskel makes fourth start in place of Andy Dalton, who tore ligament in right thumb trying to recover fumble during loss to Browns. As starter, Driskel has completed 58.8 percent for 536 yards with three TDs, two INTs. … RB Joe Mixon needs 5 yards to become first Bengal to rush for 1,000 in season since Jeremy Hill in 2014. Mixon leads AFC with 995 yards rushing and 207 carries. … Mixon has become focal point of offense with WR A.J. Green out with toe injury. He has run for 111 and 129 yards in last two games, giving him three 100-yard games this season. … Browns have won four of five under interim coach Gregg Williams, who has emerged as legitimate candidate for full-time job. … Browns rookie QB Baker Mayfield has thrown TD pass in all 11 starts. Mayfield’s 21 TD passes five shy of league rookie record shared by Peyton Manning (1998), Russell Wilson (2012). … Browns seeking first four-win home season since 2014. … Cleveland hasn’t won three games in December since 2009. … Browns also seeking to win at least seven games for just second time since 2007. … Browns are 6-0 when holding opponents to 20 points or less. … Pro Bowl DE Myles Garrett (12 1-2) needs two sacks to tie club record for season held by Bill Glass (1965). … Rookie Pro Bowl CB Denzel Ward expected to play after missing two games with concussion. … Browns P Britton Colquitt needs one punt inside 20 to set team mark (33). … Fantasy tip: Mayfield threw four TD passes in last meeting with Bengals and remains motivated to show Jackson he should have been starter since Week 1.
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