After Week 2, Bengals, Browns Remain Undefeated

After showing this team doesn’t come with a lot of drama from this year’s Hard Knocks, the Cincinnati Bengals (2-0) grabbed their second preseason win against the Tennessee Titans (0-2), 27-19 on Saturday.

Rookie running back Gio Bernard impressed in his second game with seven carries for 37 yards and one touchdown. He showed his versatility and said of the game via the Associated Press, “I’m eager to prove myself. I want to be an everyday back. I don’t want to just be a speed back, a guy who’s shifty, or a guy who can catch the ball out of the backfield. I want to be able to do it all.”

Andy Dalton

His fellow running back Dan Herron had a better game with his nine carries for 81 yards (one 40-yard run) and one touchdown run.

Overall, the offense played well. Quarterback Andy Dalton got off to a rough start, getting sacked by the Titans defensive tackle Jurrell Casey, but he recovered and connected with wide receiver Mohamed Sanu on two third downs. They had one touchdown and for the night, Dalton went 9 for 14, 115 yards, one touchdown and zero picks.

Sanu is battling for the second receiver spot behind the team’s All-Pro, A.J. Green. Green has been watching from the sidelines as he recovers from a bruised left knee that he suffered on Day 1 in training camp.

Last week, Green returned to practice and there’s hope he’ll play in one of the two remaining preseason games.

High expectations rookie tight end Tyler Eifert showed up on Saturday after a rough outing in Week 1. With quarterback John Skelton in the game, Eifert had three catches from him for 32 yards, including a 25-yard reception.

Skelton, who is battling for the back up role against Josh Johnson, went 5 for 10 and 59 yards.

With two straight wins, you have to wonder if the Bengals will be a serious contender for the AFC North. Their improving offense gives them hope. The Bengals sit with a regular season win total at 8 1/2 (-145 o/+115 u) and -115 yes to make the playoffs.

For their third preseason game, the Bengals will play the Dallas Cowboys (1-2).

Browns Look Better Under an Improving Weeden

Hesitant to name Brandon Weeden as the Cleveland Brown’s starting quarterback, the team has still won two preseason games. The sophomore quarterback looks better from his rookie season and in Thursday’s 24-6 win over the Detroit Lions (1-1), Weeden went 8 for 12, 117 yards and two touchdowns.

Combined over the last two games, he’s gone 18 for 25, 229 yards and three touchdowns.

But on Tuesday, Browns coach Rob Chudzinski remained uncommitted for his starting quarterback for the regular season’s Week 1 as Weeden continues to battle with Jason Campbell for the top spot. His coach has called the competition “still close.”

Brandon Weeden

Weeden said after Thursday’s game via the Associated Press, “Competition sells newspapers, I understand that. Really all I can control is going out and playing well. Try to play mistake-free football, do the things that I can control and that’s being accurate, managing this offense. And for the most part, I think I’ve done that through the first two games.”

While things appear to be going the Browns’ way with Weeden, the team was hit by the injury bug on Thursday. Running back Dion Lewis suffered a broken leg and will undergo surgery. How long he’ll be gone is unknown.

Rookie linebacker Barkevious Mingo, who was playing on special teams, went to the hospital with a bruised lung. He stayed for two nights and on Saturday he was released from the hospital.

Mingo is expected to miss practice this week and may not play in the team’s last two preseason games.

For the Browns, they still have a lot of unanswered questions and enter the regular season with a projected six-win total (-155 o/+125 u).