2025 · Week 18
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals
Jan 4, 2026 · Paul Brown Stadium · outdoors · fieldturf
Recap
Cleveland Browns escaped with a 20–18 win over Cincinnati Bengals. It was an upset by ScoutIndex's numbers — Browns had just a 28% chance going in. Browns improve to 5-12; Bengals fall to 6-11. Shedeur Sanders was the story of the game with 111 passing yards; 26 rushing yards. Bengals out-gained the opponent 378–229 in total yards. Bengals turned it over 2 times to Browns's 0.
Team stats
| CLE | CIN | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | First downs | 24 |
| 229 | Total yards | 378 |
| 111 | Passing yards | 236 |
| 118 | Rushing yards | 142 |
| 11/22 | Comp / Att | 29/39 |
| 0 | Turnovers | 2 |
| 6 | Sacks taken | 2 |
Scoring & key plays
- Q1(8:02) (Shotgun) 9-J.Burrow pass short right to 30-C.Brown for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Q12-E.McPherson extra point is Blocked (91-A.Wright), Center-46-W.Wagner, Holder-8-R.Rehkow.
- Q1(1:11) (Shotgun) 9-J.Burrow pass short left intended for 5-T.Higgins INTERCEPTED by 30-D.Bush (93-S.Harris) at CLE 3. 30-D.Bush for 97 yards, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on CLE-30-D.Bush, Unsportsmanlike Conduct, 15 yards, enforced between downs.
- Q125-A.Szmyt extra point is GOOD, Center-50-R.Sunahara, Holder-13-C.Bojorquez.
- Q2(14:19) (Shotgun) 9-J.Burrow pass short left to 86-N.Fant to CIN 46 for 5 yards (17-J.Baker; 9-G.Delpit). FUMBLES (17-J.Baker), RECOVERED by CLE-27-S.Webb at CIN 47. 27-S.Webb for 47 yards, TOUCHDOWN. PENALTY on CLE-27-S.Webb, Unsportsmanlike Conduct, 15 yards, enforced between downs. The Replay Official reviewed the runner was not down by contact ruling, and the play was Upheld. The ruling on the field stands.
- Q225-A.Szmyt extra point is GOOD, Center-50-R.Sunahara, Holder-13-C.Bojorquez.
- Q2(:33) (Shotgun) 9-J.Burrow pass short left to 5-T.Higgins for 13 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on CLE-27-S.Webb, Defensive Pass Interference, declined.
- Q22-E.McPherson extra point is No Good, Wide Right, Center-46-W.Wagner, Holder-8-R.Rehkow.
- Q3(8:05) 25-A.Szmyt 27 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-50-R.Sunahara, Holder-13-C.Bojorquez.
- Q4(1:34) (Shotgun) 9-J.Burrow pass short left to 1-J.Chase for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. CLE-27-S.Webb was injured during the play.
- Q4(:03) 25-A.Szmyt 49 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-50-R.Sunahara, Holder-13-C.Bojorquez. ** Injury Update: CIN-23-D.Hill has returned to the game.
Box score
CLE
Passing
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shedeur Sanders | 11/22 | 111 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing
| Player | Car | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shedeur Sanders | 3 | 26 | 0 |
| Dylan Sampson | 10 | 32 | 0 |
| Raheim Sanders | 5 | 26 | 0 |
| Malachi Corley | 3 | 18 | 0 |
| Jerry Jeudy | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Isaiah Bond | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Trayveon Williams | 1 | 7 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Rec | Tgt | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dylan Sampson | 2 | 3 | 12 | 0 |
| Raheim Sanders | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| Cedric Tillman | 1 | 2 | 23 | 0 |
| Malachi Corley | 2 | 2 | 20 | 0 |
| Jerry Jeudy | 2 | 6 | 17 | 0 |
| Isaiah Bond | 1 | 2 | 13 | 0 |
| Trayveon Williams | 1 | 2 | 13 | 0 |
| Brenden Bates | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Sal Cannella | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Blake Whiteheart | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
CIN
Passing
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Burrow | 29/39 | 236 | 3 | 1 |
Rushing
| Player | Car | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Burrow | 2 | 17 | 0 |
| Chase Brown | 13 | 72 | 0 |
| Samaje Perine | 8 | 42 | 0 |
| Ke'Shawn Williams | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Joe Flacco | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Rec | Tgt | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ja'Marr Chase | 8 | 10 | 96 | 1 |
| Chase Brown | 4 | 6 | 18 | 1 |
| Tee Higgins | 6 | 9 | 67 | 1 |
| Samaje Perine | 3 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| Drew Sample | 3 | 3 | 17 | 0 |
| Mike Gesicki | 2 | 2 | 13 | 0 |
| Andrei Iosivas | 2 | 3 | 10 | 0 |
| Noah Fant | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 |