| Cleveland Browns–Cincinnati Bengals | |
|---|---|
| History | |
| 1st Meeting | October 11, 1970 |
| Last Meeting | September 11, 2011 |
| Next Meeting | November 27, 2011 |
| Number of Meetings | 76 meetings |
| All-Time Series | CIN leads: 41-36 |
| Largest victory | CLE: 34–0 (10/18/1987) |
| Current Streak | CIN: Won 3 |
| Longest CLE Win Streak | 7 (1992-1995) |
| Longest CIN Win Streak | 5 (2004-2006) |
In the National Football League, the Battle of Ohio (also known as the Buckeye State Series) refers to games played between the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals. This rivalry has produced 2 of the 8 highest scoring games in NFL history. With their November 27, 2011 win in Cincinnati, the Bengals extended their lead in the all-time series to 41-36.
Geography and a shared heritage add to this rivalry. Cleveland (Northeast) and Cincinnati (Southwest) are on opposite corners of the Buckeye state, and essentially split Ohio. Legendary head coach Paul Brown also founded each franchise (the Browns in 1946 and the Bengals in 1968). The colors of each team are similar, since Paul Brown chose the exact shade of orange used by the Browns for the Bengals.
The rivalry would later be fueled by sociocultural differences. Although Ohio is geographically part of the Midwest, Cleveland identifies more with the Northeast while Cincinnati identifies more with the South (and particularly Kentucky and Indiana) and is more socially conservative than the rest of the state. This has led to the Browns fans being more rowdy while the Bengals fans are more laid-back. This was exemplified in 1989 during a game between the Bengals and Seattle Seahawks at Riverfront Stadium that had debris thrown from the stands. Bengals coach Sam Wyche then grabbed a microphone and told the fans, "You don't live in Cleveland, you live in Cincinnati!"[1]
The Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals first played in 1970. Previously, the Bengals were a part of the American Football League. After the AFL-NFL merger the Browns and Bengals were placed in the AFC Central Division. They have played twice a year since 1970, except in 1982 (Player's strike-shortened season) and the years 1996-1998 (Art Modell had moved the Browns staff and players to Baltimore to found the Baltimore Ravens). The Browns and Bengals have never met in the playoffs.
1970s (Series tied 10-10)[]
| Season | Date | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | October 11 | Browns 30 Bengals 27 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | The inaugural game. |
| November 15 | Bengals 14 Browns 10 |
Riverfront Stadium | ||
| 1971 | October 17 | Browns 27 Bengals 24 |
Riverfront Stadium | |
| December 5 | Browns 31 Bengals 27 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | ||
| 1972 | October 1 | Browns 27 Bengals 6 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | |
| December 9 | Browns 27 Bengals 24 |
Riverfront Stadium | ||
| 1973 | October 7 | Browns 17 Bengals 10 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | |
| December 9 | Bengals 34 Browns 17 |
Riverfront Stadium | ||
| 1974 | September 15 | Bengals 33 Browns 7 |
Riverfront Stadium | |
| October 13 | Bengals 34 Browns 24 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | ||
| 1975 | September 21 | Bengals 24 Browns 17 |
Riverfront Stadium | |
| November 23 | Browns 35 Bengals 23 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | ||
| 1976 | October 3 | Bengals 45 Browns 24 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | |
| October 31 | Bengals 21 Browns 6 |
Riverfront Stadium | ||
| 1977 | September 18 | Browns 13 Bengals 3 |
Riverfront Stadium | |
| November 6 | Bengals 10 Browns 7 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | ||
| 1978 | September 10 | Browns 13 Bengals 10 (OT) |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | |
| December 17 | Bengals 48 Browns 16 |
Riverfront Stadium | ||
| 1979 | October 21 | Browns 28 Bengals 27 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | |
| December 16 | Bengals 16 Browns 12 |
Riverfront Stadium |
1980s (Bengals 10-9)[]
| Year | Date | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | November 23 | Browns 31 Bengals 7 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | |
| December 21 | Browns 27 Bengals 24 |
Riverfront Stadium | ||
| 1981 | September 20 | Browns 20 Bengals 17 |
Riverfront Stadium | |
| November 29 | Bengals 41 Browns 21 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | ||
| 1982 | September 27 | Cleveland Municipal Stadium | Cancelled by the nine-week players strike | |
| December 12 | Bengals 23 Browns 10 |
Riverfront Stadium | Only season in which the teams met just once | |
| 1983 | September 15 | Browns 17 Bengals 7 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | Thursday Night Football. |
| October 23 | Bengals 28 Browns 21 |
Riverfront Stadium | ||
| 1984 | October 21 | Bengals 12 Browns 9 |
Riverfront Stadium | Cle: Steve Cox 60 yard FG - team record. |
| December 2 | Bengals 20 Browns 17 (OT) |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | Cin: Jim Breech 35 yard GW-FG in OT. | |
| 1985 | November 10 | Bengals 27 Browns 10 |
Riverfront Stadium | |
| November 24 | Browns 24 Bengals 6 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | ||
| 1986 | September 18 | Bengals 30 Browns 13 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | Thursday Night Football. |
| December 14 | Browns 34 Bengals 3 |
Riverfront Stadium | ||
| 1987 | October 18 | Browns 34 Bengals 0 |
Riverfront Stadium | |
| December 13 | Browns 38 Bengals 24 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | ||
| 1988 | September 25 | Bengals 24 Browns 17 |
Riverfront Stadium | |
| October 30 | Browns 23 Bengals 16 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | ||
| 1989 | September 25 | Bengals 21 Browns 14 |
Riverfront Stadium | |
| December 3 | Bengals 21 Browns 0 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium |
1990s (Browns 8-6)[]
| Year | Year | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | October 22 | Bengals 34 Browns 13 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | Monday Night Football. |
| December 30 | Bengals 21 Browns 14 |
Riverfront Stadium | ||
| 1991 | September 15 | Browns 14 Bengals 13 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | |
| November 3 | Bengals 23 Browns 21 |
Riverfront Stadium | ||
| 1992 | November 1 | Bengals 30 Browns 10 |
Riverfront Stadium | |
| December 6 | Browns 37 Bengals 21 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | ||
| 1993 | September 5 | Browns 27 Bengals 14 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | |
| October 17 | Browns 28 Bengals 17 |
Riverfront Stadium | ||
| 1994 | September 4 | Browns 28 Bengals 20 |
Riverfront Stadium | Cle: Eric Metcalf 92 yard punt return for TD - team record |
| October 23 | Browns 37 Bengals 13 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | ||
| 1995 | October 29 | Browns 29 Bengals 26 (OT) |
Riverfront Stadium | Cle: Matt Stover 5 FG (team record), including GW 28 yarder in OT |
| December 17 | Browns 26 Bengals 10 |
Cleveland Municipal Stadium | Last game played at Municipal Stadium. | |
| 1999 | October 10 | Bengals 18 Browns 17 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | |
| December 12 | Bengals 44 Browns 28 |
Cinergy Field | Last game at Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field |
2000s (Bengals 12-8)[]
| Year | Date | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | September 10 | Browns 24 Bengals 7 |
Paul Brown Stadium | First game in Paul Brown Stadium. |
| October 29 | Bengals 12 Browns 3 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | ||
| 2001 | October 14 | Bengals 24 Browns 14 |
Paul Brown Stadium | |
| November 25 | Browns 18 Bengals 0 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | ||
| 2002 | September 15 | Browns 20 Bengals 7 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | |
| November 17 | Browns 27 Bengals 20 |
Paul Brown Stadium | ||
| 2003 | September 28 | Bengals 21 Browns 14 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | |
| December 28 | Browns 22 Bengals 14 |
Paul Brown Stadium | ||
| 2004 | October 17 | Browns 34 Bengals 17 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | Browns QB Jeff Garcia completed a 99-yard TD pass to WR André Davis, marking the 10th time in NFL history that a 99-yard TD play was recorded. |
| November 28 | Bengals 58 Browns 48 |
Paul Brown Stadium | 2nd highest scoring game in NFL history. Cle: Kelly Holcomb 413 yards passing, 5 TD. (Tied team record) Cin: Rudi Johnson 202 yards rushing, 2 TD. Chad Johnson 10 rec. 117 yards. |
|
| 2005 | September 11 | Bengals 27 Browns 13 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | |
| December 11 | Bengals 23 Browns 20 |
Paul Brown Stadium | ||
| 2006 | September 17 | Bengals 34 Browns 17 |
Paul Brown Stadium | |
| November 26 | Bengals 30 Browns 0 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | ||
| 2007 | September 16 | Browns 51 Bengals 45 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | 8th highest scoring game in NFL history. CLE: 554 yards 3rd most in team history. QB Derek Anderson 328 yards passing 5 TD (Tied team record). RB Jamal Lewis 216 yards rushing. |
| December 23 | Bengals 19 Browns 14 |
Paul Brown Stadium | Browns controlled their own playoff destiny going into the game, however QB Derek Anderson throws 4 interceptions. Most of the Bengals' points came from these interceptions. Despite an attempt to come back, the Browns lose to the Bengals 14 to 19. Cincinnati has now won the last 4 meetings at Paul Brown Stadium after Cleveland won 3 of the first 4. | |
| 2008 | September 28 | Browns 20 Bengals 12 |
Paul Brown Stadium | |
| December 21 | Bengals 14 Browns 0 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | ||
| 2009 | October 4 | Bengals 23 (OT) Browns 20 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | Bengals won in OT with a Shayne Graham field goal. |
| November 29 | Bengals 16 Browns 7 |
Paul Brown Stadium |
2010s (Bengals 3-1)[]
| Year | Date | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | October 3 | Browns 23 Bengals 20 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | |
| December 19 | Bengals 19 Browns 17 |
Paul Brown Stadium | ||
| 2011 | September 11 | Bengals 27 Browns 17 |
Cleveland Browns Stadium | |
| November 27 | Bengals 23 Browns 20 |
Paul Brown Stadium | ||
See also[]
- Governor's Cup (Missouri)
- Governor's Cup (Texas)
- Ohio Cup (MLB)
- Victory Bell (Miami–Cincinnati)
References[]
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| This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Battle of Ohio (NFL). The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with American Football Database, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License. |