Bengals’ Joe Burrow earns first career win over Browns

Joe Burrow has been a dominant force for the Cincinnati Bengals over the past season and a half, but the only thing missing from his resume was a win over the Cleveland Browns.

He came into Sunday’s game against foe AFC North and in-state rival 0-4, and it looked like the Bengals were entering a trap game as the Browns played their second game with Deshaun Watson under the center. But as Burrow started the second quarter with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Marr Chase, those thoughts began to fade.

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Cincinnati beat Cleveland 13-3 at halftime and another touchdown pass from Burrow — this time to Trenton Irwin — would help lift the Bengals to a 23-10 victory Sunday over the Browns.

Burrow finished 18th of 33 with 239 passing yards, two points and one interception. Samaje Perine would also score a rushing touchdown to help boost the Bengals. Joe Mixon led the team with 96 yards on 14 carries. Chase had 10 catches for 119 yards. Irwin added two catches for 58 yards.

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The Browns would cut the deficit to 10 points late in the third quarter when Watson threw his first regular-season touchdown pass in more than 700 days to tight end David Njoku. Cleveland would turn the ball over twice in tryouts and fail to get into the end zone for the rest of the game.

Cleveland Browns’ David Njoku (85) hits a touchdown against Cincinnati Bengals’ Jessie Bates III (30) in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, in Cincinnati.
(AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Watson finished 26 for 42 with 276 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. Watson added 33 rushing yards on six attempts. Nick Chubb led all rushers with 34 yards.

Donovan Peoples-Jones finished with 114 yards on eight catches. It was the first time he’d passed 100 yards in a game since Week 6 of the 2021 season against the Arizona Cardinals.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022, in Cincinnati.
(AP Photo/Aaron Doster)

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Burrow and the Bengals’ victory helped keep pace in the AFC North as the rival Baltimore Ravens barely passed the Pittsburgh Steelers behind their reserve quarterbacks. Cincinnati and Baltimore face off in Week 18.