Cleveland Browns: Grades from the horrendous loss to the Bengals

Defensive Line: F

Simply put, Cleveland was manhandled up front by Cincinnati’s offensive line. Their defense did nothing to stop the Bengals’ rushing attack, or to muster any pressure on Andy Dalton.

The numbers say it all, as Jeremy Hill torched the Browns to the tune of 111 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. What makes this worse though is just how much the offensive line dominated Cleveland, creating holes even in predictable running situations.

Due to the Browns’ inability to stop the run, they were never in any position to rush the passer. This is because the Bengals were always ahead of the sticks and away from third-and-long situations. All of this stemmed from the physical beat down up front, as Cleveland’s defensive line was not a factor in the game.

Highlighting this group’s afternoon was Danny Shelton, who quietly made seven tackles. But no other player on the line made more than three, which is never going to be enough. Plus, since they were pushed back all afternoon, they didn’t even contribute to any other plays made by the rest of the defense.