Keys to a win over the Cincinnati Bengals

Injuries are starting to pile up for the Browns on the offensive line, at quarterback and at wide receiver. These injuries are clearly impacting Cleveland’s offense, so much so that their options are truly limited. The only major group not affected is the running backs. This underscores the need to persistently run the ball to jolt offensive production.

Last week, the Browns ran the ball just 25 percent of their plays despite facing an opponent which had no clear strength on defense. As a result, the offense became much too predictable, and they resorted to an increasingly pass-heavy approach.

Not to mention, both Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson had miserable performances, both failing to reach 50 rushing yards. If the Browns want to defeat Cincinnati this week, they will need to score some points. The only way to do this is by establishing a running game early on and continuing to run the ball throughout the course of the game.

The benefits of running the ball more than last week will pay off, as the Browns will be much less predictable, and stay ahead of the sticks, creating more manageable third-down situations. Last week, the team converted just three of fourteen third downs, mostly due to the substantial amount of yardage needed on these downs.

This is why the Browns do not only need to establish the rushing attack to stay balanced, or because they have injuries. They need to run the ball effectively because it is crucial to gain small chunks of yardage in order to open up opportunities to move down the field efficiently and sustain drives.