The GameDay Opening Drive 1/4: The Battle of Ohio, Part II

The Browns try to close out a tough season with one last AFC North win.

CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 11: The line of scrimmage of the Cleveland Browns against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Well, today is a strange day. Most of us are relieved that this brutal season is coming to an end — one we all knew was possible when looking at the shape of this roster, but still incredibly difficult to accept back in August. Hope has a way of doing that. You ignore the weaknesses and focus on the positives.

They competed hard with this Bengals team in Week 1 and should have won that game. They stole one from the Packers a few weeks later. And then it all fell apart. Multiple starting quarterbacks, undisciplined play, and close losses where things unraveled late — familiar ingredients in a recipe Browns fans remember all too well from seasons past.

The team sits here today at 4–12, heading toward what looks like a 13th loss. Head coach Kevin Stefanski, who brought rare stability to the franchise upon his arrival, is likely coaching his final game with the organization today. He is far from above blame for seven wins over the past two seasons, but it’s hard not to think about the better moments during his tenure — the playoff appearances and that rare postseason victory. Some of our best Browns memories, and for some, the only good ones.

But times change, and decisions get made. There are significant ones coming in the next 48 hours. We’ll see whether this team plays an inspired game, fully aware of the likely fate of its head coach based on reports from the past day or two. It’s hard to miss, honestly.

We’ll have plenty of reflection coming your way on those decisions, but until then, the team has one final 60-minute battle to play — and we’ll be here to cover it, as always. Let’s get this thing over with, shall we?

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Inside the weekly GameDay Opening Drive you will get all the pieces of information paired with your GameDay Podcast to enhance your Sundays with this team.

So, sit back, pour your coffee, turn on the best pre-game Browns song known to man, and enjoy a fresh delivery of Week 18 information from the BFB staff.

Football: Cleveland Browns QB Bernie Kosar (19) in action, pass vs Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Cleveland, OH 9/5/1993 CREDIT: Damian Strohmeyer (Photo by Damian Strohmeyer /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

Today will be a classic January cold day but plenty of sunshine. We will get temperatures in the mid-30s for the game with a high of 36. Partly cloudy with a light wind from the northeast. No rain in the forecast at all.

The Browns and Bengals don’t go all the way back to the mid-1900’s like the Browns history against some of the NFL’s originals, but when the merger hit in 1970 and the Bengals joined the NFL the two have faced each other twice a year since. The Browns won the 1970’s, the Bengals the 1980’s, and the Browns the 1990’s. These have been close battles with plenty of back and forth.

The Bengals owned the Browns from 2004 to 2017 going 22-6. Then the Browns took over in 2018 and won 8 of 9 in the stretch. Now things have turned back in the Bengals favor taking the last four meetings from the Browns and they now lead the tight all-time series 56-48.

Football: Cleveland Browns QB Tim Couch (2) in action, passing vs Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Cincinnati, OH 10/14/2001 CREDIT: David Bergman (Photo by David Bergman /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)