Battle of Ohio (NFL)

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Cleveland Browns–Cincinnati Bengals
History
1st Meeting October 11, 1970
Last Meeting December 23, 2007
Next Meeting September 28, 2008
Number of Meetings 69 meetings
All-Time Series CIN: 35-34
Largest victory CLE: 34–0 (10/18/1987)
Current Streak CIN: Won 1
Longest CLE Win Streak 7 (1992-1995)
Longest CIN Win Streak 5 (2004-2006)

In the National Football League, the Battle of Ohio refers to games played between the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals. This rivalry has produced 2 of the 8 highest scoring games in NFL history. The rivalry is almost evenly divided among the teams; the Bengals lead the all-time series 35-34, with the Bengals' one extra win coming in the strike-shortened 1982 NFL season.

Geography and a shared heritage add to this rivalry. Cleveland (Northeast) and Cincinnati (Southwest) are on opposite corners of the Buckeye state, and essentially split Ohio. Paul Brown also started each franchise. The colors of each team are similar, since Paul Brown chose the exact shade of orange used by the Browns for the Bengals.

The Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals first played in 1970. Previously, the Bengals were a part of the American Football League. After the AFL-NFL merger the Browns and Bengals were placed in the AFC Central Division. They have played twice a year since 1970, except in 1982 (Player's strike-shortened season) and the years 1996-1998 (the Browns had moved to Baltimore). The Browns and Bengals have never met in the playoffs. Although Bengals fans would consider the Browns their team's biggest rivals, most Browns fans consider the Pittsburgh Steelers as their biggest rivalry, with the Bengals second. The Steelers and Bengals also share a rivalry.


Contents

[edit] 1970s (Series tied 10-10)

Year Result Location Notes
1970 Browns 30
Bengals 27
Cleveland Municipal Stadium The inaugural game.
  Bengals 14
Browns 10
Riverfront Stadium 
1971 Browns 27
Bengals 24
Riverfront Stadium   
  Browns 31 
Bengals 27
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1972 Browns 27 
Bengals 6
Cleveland Municipal Stadium  
  Browns 27 
Bengals 24
Riverfront Stadium 
1973 Browns 17 
Bengals 10
Cleveland Municipal Stadium  
  Bengals 34 
Browns 17
Riverfront Stadium 
1974 Bengals 33 
Browns 7
Riverfront Stadium   
  Bengals 34
Browns 24
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1975 Bengals 24
Browns 17
Riverfront Stadium   
  Browns 35
Bengals 23
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1976 Bengals 45
Browns 24
Cleveland Municipal Stadium  
  Bengals 21
Browns 6
Riverfront Stadium 
1977 Browns 13
Bengals 3
Riverfront Stadium   
  Bengals 10
Browns 7
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1978 Browns 13
Bengals 10 (OT)
Cleveland Municipal Stadium  
  Bengals 48
Browns 16
Riverfront Stadium 
1979 Browns 28
Bengals 27
Cleveland Municipal Stadium  
  Bengals 16
Browns 12
Riverfront Stadium 

[edit] 1980s (Bengals 10-9)

Year Result Location Notes
1980 Browns 31
Bengals 7
Cleveland Municipal Stadium  
  Browns 27
Bengals 24
Riverfront Stadium 
1981 Browns 20
Bengals 17
Riverfront Stadium   
  Bengals 41
Browns 21
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1982 Bengals 23
Browns 10
Riverfront Stadium   
1983 Browns 17
Bengals 7
Cleveland Municipal Stadium Thursday Night Football.
  Bengals 28
Browns 21
Riverfront Stadium   
1984 Bengals 12
Browns 9
Riverfront Stadium 
  Bengals 20
Browns 17 (OT)
Cleveland Municipal Stadium Cle: Steve Cox 60 yard FG - team record.
Cin: Jim Breech 35 yard GW-FG in OT.
1985 Bengals 27
Browns 10
Riverfront Stadium 
  Browns 24
Bengals 6
Cleveland Municipal Stadium  
1986 Bengals 30
Browns 13
Cleveland Municipal Stadium Thursday Night Football.
  Browns 34
Bengals 3
Riverfront Stadium   
1987 Browns 34
Bengals 0
Riverfront Stadium 
  Browns 38
Bengals 24
Cleveland Municipal Stadium  
1988 Bengals 24
Browns 17
Riverfront Stadium 
  Browns 23
Bengals 16
Cleveland Municipal Stadium  
1989 Bengals 21
Browns 14
Riverfront Stadium  Monday Night Football. Teams were actually supposed to play on Monday Night in Cleveland in 1982 but that game was canceled by the player's strike.
  Bengals 21
Browns 0
Cleveland Municipal Stadium  

[edit] 1990s (Browns 8-6)

Year Result Location Notes
1990 Bengals 34
Browns 13
Cleveland Municipal Stadium Monday Night Football.
  Bengals 21
Browns 14
Riverfront Stadium   
1991 Browns 14
Bengals 13
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
  Bengals 23
Browns 21
Riverfront Stadium   
1992 Bengals 30
Browns 10
Riverfront Stadium 
  Browns 37
Bengals 21
Cleveland Municipal Stadium  
1993 Browns 27
Bengals 14
Cleveland Municipal Stadium
  Browns 28
Bengals 17
Riverfront Stadium   
1994 Browns 28
Bengals 20
Riverfront Stadium  Cle: Eric Metcalf 92 yard punt return for TD - team record
  Browns 37
Bengals 13
Cleveland Municipal Stadium  
1995 Browns 29
Bengals 26 (OT)
Riverfront Stadium  Cle: Matt Stover 5 FG (team record), including GW 28 yarder in OT
  Browns 26
Bengals 10
Cleveland Municipal Stadium Last game played at Municipal Stadium.
1999 Bengals 18
Browns 17
Cleveland Browns Stadium First game at Cleveland Browns Stadium
  Bengals 44
Browns 28
Cinergy Field Last game at Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field

[edit] 2000s (Bengals 9-7)

Year Result Location Notes
2000 Browns 24
Bengals 7
Paul Brown Stadium First game in Paul Brown Stadium.
  Bengals 12
Browns 3
Cleveland Browns Stadium  
2001 Bengals 24
Browns 14
Paul Brown Stadium
  Browns 18
Bengals 0
Cleveland Browns Stadium  
2002 Browns 20
Bengals 7
Cleveland Browns Stadium
  Browns 27
Bengals 20
Paul Brown Stadium  
2003 Bengals 21
Browns 14
Cleveland Browns Stadium
  Browns 22
Bengals 14
Paul Brown Stadium  
2004 Browns 34
Bengals 17
Cleveland Browns Stadium Browns QB Jeff Garcia completed a 99-yard TD pass to WR André Davis, marking the 10th time in NFL history that a 99-yard TD play was recorded.
  Bengals 58
Browns 48
Paul Brown Stadium  2nd highest scoring game in NFL history.
Cle: Kelly Holcomb 413 yards passing, 5 TD. (Tied team record)
Cin: Rudi Johnson 202 yards rushing, 2 TD. Chad Johnson 10 rec. 117 yards.
2005 Bengals 27
Browns 13
Cleveland Browns Stadium
  Bengals 23
Browns 20
Paul Brown Stadium   
2006 Bengals 34
Browns 17
Paul Brown Stadium 
  Bengals 30
Browns 0
Cleveland Browns Stadium  
2007 Browns 51
Bengals 45
Cleveland Browns Stadium 8th highest scoring game in NFL history.

CLE: 554 yards 3rd most in team history. QB Derek Anderson 328 yards passing 5 TD (Tied team record). RB Jamal Lewis 216 yards rushing.

CIN: Carson Palmer 401 yards passing 6 TD (team record). Chad Johnson 11 rec. 209 yards 2 TD receiving.
  Bengals 19
Browns 14
Paul Brown Stadium Browns control own destiny for playoffs going into the game, however QB Derek Anderson throws 6 interceptions. Most of the Bengals' points came from these interceptions. Despite an attempt to come back, the Browns lose to the Bengals 14 to 19. Cincinnati has now won the last 4 meetings at Paul Brown Stadium after Cleveland won 3 of the first 4.

[edit] References