NFL Week 8 Game Recap: Cleveland Browns 32, Cincinnati Bengals 13

Coming off four straight losses, the Cleveland Browns were able to finally pick up a victory, dominating the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals in a 32-13 blowout victory at FirstEnergy Stadium Monday night. The win moved the Browns 3-5 on the season while the Bengals fell to 4-3, as both teams trail the 5-3 Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. Offensive spotlight: Browns QB Jacoby Brissett put together a winning performance Monday night, finishing 17-of-22 for 278 passing yards and a touchdown. Brissett's 12.6 yards per attempt and 94.7% adjusted completion rate on first review were both impressive marks.

Browns RB Nick Chubb and WR Amari Cooper also played a huge part in the team's victory. Chubb continued to show why he's probably the best pure runner in the NFL, finishing with 101 rushing yards and two touchdowns from 23 carries. The Georgia product also picked up five first downs and forced four missed tackles. Cooper totaled five receptions from seven targets for 131 receiving yards and a touchdown en route to a game-high (min. five receiving snaps) 5.24 yards per route run on first review.

Turn on any Browns game and edge defender Myles Garrett is probably the best player on the field — and that proved to be true against Monday night. The Texas A&M dominated as a pass-rushing, posting eight pressures, two sacks and a 32.3% pass-rush win rate. If it weren't for Dallas Cowboys star defender Micah Parsons and San Francisco 49ers edge defender Nick Bosa, Garrett would be the runaway favorite for the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award. Bengals rookie left guard Cordell Volson‘s pass-blocking was a bright spot during an otherwise dreadful evening for the Bengals offense, as the fourth-round pick allowed just two pressures across 40 pass-blocking snaps on first review.

The Browns offensive line stifled the Bengals' pass-rush all evening, allowing just two pressures across 26 snaps in pass protection on first review. Cincinnati's interior trio —left guard Joel Bitonio, center Ethan Pocic and right guard Hjalte Froholdt — were notably impressive in pass protection, allowing zero total pressures combined.

Led by Myles Garrett (1.5 sacks) and Sione Takitaki (13 tackles, one sack), the Browns defense shouldered the load early while their offense warmed up. The unit didn't let up once Cleveland's offense got going, as the Browns limited Cincinnati to just one trip inside the red zone while holding Burrow and Co. to just 15 first downs and 4 of 10 on third down. 

The Browns offensive line, despite suffering an in-game injury to Jack Conklin, dominated the Bengals defensive front. The unit -- which received a solid effort from Conklin's replacement, second-year man James Hudson -- paved the way for Chubb, Hunt and the rest of the Browns to run for 172 yards and three touchdowns on 44 carries. The line also gave Brissett time to complete several clutch passes that extended scoring drives. 

The Browns head into their Week 9 bye. Cleveland's players may spend some of their bye week packing their suitcases, as four of the Browns' first five games after their bye will be on the road. The road trip starts with games against AFC East foes Miami and Buffalo before wrapping up with these Bengals in Week 14. 

Cincinnati will host Carolina on a short week before going on its bye week. Like Cleveland, the Bengals will have consecutive road games following their bye week. They'll face the Steelers on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 11 before heading to Nashville for a rematch of last year's divisional round thriller. 

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