2. Sheldon Richardson
The Bengals didn’t offer Joe Burrow much protection, and Sheldon Richardson’s play was a big reason why.
Richardson was shedding blocks like a man possessed, especially early in the game. He was all over the place, ending the game with six tackles, two for a loss, and one sack.
Notably, Richardson blew up Joe Mixon late in the third quarter when Cincinnati was threatening to score. Remember, this came right after a Gio Bernard TD run was overturned.
Because of Richardson, the Bengals had to end up settling for a field goal, which was a demoralizer, considering they really needed a touchdown in that situation.
Last week, Larry Ogunjobi was the man on the interior, and now it’s Richardson. The Browns front four can really be credited with dominating this game.