CLEVELAND — A long summer of work, evaluation decision and change all led up to Week 1 of the 2025 season and as the Cleveland Browns hosted the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field to kick the year off, they did so with a tough loss to start things off.
The Browns named Joe Flacco their starting quarterback for the season before the final preseason game. Flacco had split reps throughout the summer in a four-player competition between himself, Kenny Pickett and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders—but reclaimed the QB1 he held back in 2023 at the end of training camp.
On Sunday, Flacco showed off his veteran cool, a perfect 6-for-6 on the opening drive, connecting with tight end Harold Fannin Jr., running back Dylan Sampson, and wide receivers Cedric Tillman and Isaiah Bond in the opening drive that ended with a rushing touchdown by rookie running back Raheim "Rocket" Sanders.
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The touchdown was much-needed after the Bengals' opening drive to start the game saw them go 67 yards downfield in 12 plays and open up the game with a rushing touchdown from Chase Brown.
After tying things up in a fast-moving first half, the Bengals took another lead with an eight-play 54-yard touchdown drive ending with a pass from quarterback Joe Burrow to tight end Noah Fant in the end zone.
Before the end of the first half, the Browns' offense was able to close the deficit, driving down and giving kicker Andre Szmyt his first NFL regular-season field goal attempt after he earned the starting job in camp this summer. Szmyt was good from 45 yards out, making it a 14-10 game, with a Bengals lead.
The Browns had the ball coming out of the half and took full advantage of it. A drive that heavily featured Sampson in the pass game, gaining 28 yards in the air from the Flacco-Sampson connection, ended with a touchdown pass to Tillman.
Unfortunately, Szmyt's NFL debut wasn't all good news. After the Browns' touchdown to Tillman, Szmyt was up for the extra point. He missed it wide right, and the Browns settled with a 17-14 lead over Cincinnati.
After the defense forced the Bengals to go three-and-out, it was on the Browns to see if they could run up their lead. A drive that started with a sack on Flacco for a loss of six yards ended on the next play. After nearly being sacked again, Flacco got the ball out and looked for Jerry Jeudy. Jeudy reached out and the ball hit his hand while diving, but he wasn't able to bring it in. An unfortunate bounce off his hands was able to be snagged by Bengals safety Jordan Battle.
The Bengals seemed in good shape getting to the Browns' 17-yard line, but on third-and-four, it was rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger who stepped up with a big stop, forcing an incomplete pass to Chase Brown.
The good news was that the Browns' defense was able to hold the Bengals to a field goal. The bad news was that because Szmyt's missed extra point, the Bengals didn't tie it; they took a lead, up 17-16, to end the third quarter.
With the Browns looking to put some points on the board and regain a lead, the offense started moving down the field, highlighted by a 22-yard pass from Flacco to Fannin. After that explosive play, things stalled for the Browns offense and Cleveland was forced to punt it away.
It was in that moment, however, that the Browns defense came alive.
On three consecutive plays, the Browns sacked Burrow each time. Star defensive end Myles Garrett took down Burrow twice in a row for a total of 12 yards, and then Isaiah McGuire stepped in for the third with another loss of six.
Taking over on their own 44-yard line with just under seven minutes in the game, down one point, the Browns needed a score. After Flacco was sacked on third down, the Browns turned to Szmyt once again, this time for a 36-yard field goal attempt.
With a chance to take the lead, Szmyt's attempt went wide right and kept the Bengals holding on to a 1-point lead.
The defense gifted the offense another chance at it, forcing the Bengals to punt. On a two-minute drive, the Browns tried to get downfield, but in the same fashion as the first turnover, Flacco's pass to Tillman hit off his hands and into the arms of Bengals cornerback DJ Turner II.
With just over a minute left, the Bengals were able to hold on to their single-point lead to give the Browns a loss to start the year 0-1.
Cleveland's schedule stays difficult, with the Browns set to travel for another AFC North rivalry game, this time against the Baltimore Ravens.
Browns injury updates
Browns offensive lineman Jack Conklin left Sunday's game in the first half with an eye injury. Cornelius Lucas stepped in at right tackle in Conklin's absence.
RELATED: Browns RT Jack Conklin questionable to return to game against Bengals with eye injury
