The Bengals and Browns meet for first of two games over final four weeks.
It’s only second time in “Battle of Ohio” game has had two rookie coaches: Cleveland’s Freddie Kitchens and Cincinnati’s Zac Taylor.
The last time was Marty Schottenheimer and Sam Wyche in 1984.
Browns swept the series last season, but haven’t won three in a row vs. Bengals since 2001-02.
Bengals shed the distinction as the NFL’s lone winless team with a win over the Jets, ending the longest losing streak in club history.
They’d lost 13 straight from end of last season.
The Bengals have dropped 18 of 20.
A loss means the Bengals finish in last place alone in AFC North for second straight season, first time in basement consecutive years since 2001-02.
The Bengals have dropped nine straight division games.
Taylor went back to Andy Dalton as the starting QB after a three-week experiment with rookie Ryan Finley.
Dalton threw a TD pass and led Bengals to second-most points of season vs. Jets.
He surpassed Ken Anderson for club career TD passing mark (198).
Dalton is 11-4 career vs. Browns with 27 TDs, 12 INTs and 95.4 passer rating.
Bengals WR John Ross returns after missing eight games with shoulder injury.
WR A.J. Green will miss 13th game while recovering from ankle surgery.
The Bengals defense has put together its three best games, holding opponents to 17 points or less while allowing three TDs total.
DE Carlos Dunlap tied his career high with three sacks vs. Jets.
The Browns playoff hopes took major hit with loss to Steelers.
Cleveland must win their final four if it is to end the league’s longest playoff drought dating to 2002.
Browns’ second-year RB Nick Chubb leads league with 1,175 yards rushing.
Browns QB Baker Mayfield sustained badly bruised right hand that limited him in practice this week.
Mayfield threw INT on final play at Pittsburgh, just second pick in past five games.
Starting LT Greg Robinson expected back after missing last week with concussion.
WR Jarvis Landry led league with five TD catches, 35 receptions in November.
Landry has caught at least two passes in 91 straight games, the league’s longest current streak.
The Browns are still struggling to get the ball to WR Odell Beckham, who has just one 100-yard receiving game in his last 10.
Beckham has gone six straight games without reaching 100 yards for the first time in his career.
Fantasy tip: Chubb could gash Bengals’ shaky run defense. He had 112 yards rushing against them in last meeting in 2018.
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