Cleveland Browns: Five Questions With Stripe Hype

The Cleveland Browns have their last game of the season versus the Cincinnati Bengals tomorrow. What should we keep an eye on?

The season is progressing quickly. Already in Week 14, now is the time of year where divisional games finish the home and home series. The Cincinnati Bengals are alive for a playoff spot, while we all know where the Cleveland Browns‘ season is heading.

As we wait for this week’s kickoff, Strip Hype‘s Site Expert Matthew Willson joined us to discuss this week’s game.

How do you envision Cincinnati’s offensive gameplan playing out? Also, how likely is it that tight end Tyler Eifert and/or wide receiver Tyler Boyd lights up the box score?

The Bengals and Browns know each other very well, so I don’t see any surprises from either side. However, they will need to get Jeremy Hill or Rex Burkhead going early if they want Tyler Eifert or Tyler Boyd to light anything up.

The gameplan will most likely be what it always is, play a balanced offense until it doesn’t work, then play it some more. The Bengals defense is the big playmaker and difference in last weeks win and I don’t see anything different.

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As the main running back now, Jeremy Hill is looked to carry more responsibility. His last game versus Cleveland was his best in Week 7 in which he rushed for 168 yards and a touchdown. Duplicating that type of game is hard to do, but since Cleveland struggles against the run, what should his expectations be on Sunday?

Jeremy Hill is coming off his worst game of his career against the Eagles last week, so seeing Cleveland ahead should have him focused to rebound. However, I would not be surprised to see Rex Burkhead in the gameplan more this week.

We should expect to see Hill carry the ball around 20 times for 100 yards and a touchdown this week. He should be motivated to improve from last week, especially since the pressure on him to perform or get out is getting louder as the season gets later.

Can you put into words what a loss to the winless Browns would mean? A Bengals loss would eliminate any last hope of a playoff spot. Meanwhile, a win would put Cleveland in a position that some fans are now rooting against for: A winless season, which means another potential parade for the city.

A loss to the Browns would just put a bow on a very disappointing season for the Cincinnati Bengals. It would not shock fans at this point to see the Bengals drop another game but would probably cause more questions than answers.

Bengals fans would be looking for blood from either Marvin Lewis or Mike Brown. For the Browns, the fans make me laugh because you get a video yelling and calling them terrible and talking about the success of the Cavaliers and Indians.

Then there are the fans rooting for epic failure. Either way, I think Cleveland got underrated in the FanSided Fandom 250.

Kicker Mike Nugent has struggled to say the least. Why exactly is he dealing with the issues he is facing and if it does not change soon, could he really be replaced?

Mike Nugent has been terrible and unreliable. He has directly impacted two loses. The Bengals could be 7-5 realistically if not for the mistakes.

Marvin Lewis is on record though of saying they are sticking with him through the season. After the season is anybody’s guess, but Bengals fans would be disappointed to see him in Stripes in 2017 at this point.