Bengals–Browns rivalry

Cleveland Browns–Cincinnati Bengals
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History
1st Meeting	October 11, 1970
Last Meeting	November 29, 2009
Next Meeting	TBD, 2010
Number of Meetings	73 meetings
All-Time Series	CIN leads: 38-35
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 October 4, 2009 win in Cincinnati , the Bengals took the lead in the all-time series, 37-35.

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 started each franchise. 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!"

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)

Year	Result	Location	Notes
1970	Browns 30 Bengals 27	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	The inaugural game.
	Bengals 14 Browns 10	Riverfront Stadium
1971	Browns 27 Bengals 24	Riverfront Stadium
	Browns 31  Bengals 27	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1972	Browns 27  Bengals 6	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	Browns 27  Bengals 24	Riverfront Stadium
1973	Browns 17  Bengals 10	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	Bengals 34  Browns 17	Riverfront Stadium
1974	Bengals 33  Browns 7	Riverfront Stadium
	Bengals 34 Browns 24	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1975	Bengals 24 Browns 17	Riverfront Stadium
	Browns 35 Bengals 23	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1976	Bengals 45 Browns 24	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	Bengals 21 Browns 6	Riverfront Stadium
1977	Browns 13 Bengals 3	Riverfront Stadium
	Bengals 10 Browns 7	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1978	Browns 13 Bengals 10 (OT)	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	Bengals 48 Browns 16	Riverfront Stadium
1979	Browns 28 Bengals 27	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	Bengals 16 Browns 12	Riverfront Stadium

1980s (Bengals 10-9)

Year	Result	Location	Notes
1980	Browns 31 Bengals 7	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	Browns 27 Bengals 24	Riverfront Stadium
1981	Browns 20 Bengals 17	Riverfront Stadium
	Bengals 41 Browns 21	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1982	Bengals 23 Browns 10	Riverfront Stadium	Only meeting during strike-shortened season.
1983	Browns 17 Bengals 7	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Thursday Night Football.
	Bengals 28 Browns 21	Riverfront Stadium
1984	Bengals 12 Browns 9	Riverfront Stadium
	Bengals 20 Browns 17 (OT)	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Cle: Steve Cox 60 yard FG - team record. Cin: Jim Breech 35 yard GW-FG in OT.
1985	Bengals 27 Browns 10	Riverfront Stadium
	Browns 24 Bengals 6	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1986	Bengals 30 Browns 13	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Thursday Night Football.
	Browns 34 Bengals 3	Riverfront Stadium
1987	Browns 34 Bengals 0	Riverfront Stadium
	Browns 38 Bengals 24	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1988	Bengals 24 Browns 17	Riverfront Stadium
	Browns 23 Bengals 16	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1989	Bengals 21 Browns 14	Riverfront Stadium	Monday Night Football. Teams were actually supposed to play on Monday Night in Cleveland in 1982 but that game was canceled by the player's strike.
	Bengals 21 Browns 0	Cleveland Municipal Stadium

1990s (Browns 8-6)

Year	Result	Location	Notes
1990	Bengals 34 Browns 13	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Monday Night Football.
	Bengals 21 Browns 14	Riverfront Stadium
1991	Browns 14 Bengals 13	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	Bengals 23 Browns 21	Riverfront Stadium
1992	Bengals 30 Browns 10	Riverfront Stadium
	Browns 37 Bengals 21	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1993	Browns 27 Bengals 14	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
	Browns 28 Bengals 17	Riverfront Stadium
1994	Browns 28 Bengals 20	Riverfront Stadium	Cle: Eric Metcalf 92 yard punt return for TD - team record
	Browns 37 Bengals 13	Cleveland Municipal Stadium
1995	Browns 29 Bengals 26 (OT)	Riverfront Stadium	Cle: Matt Stover 5 FG (team record), including GW 28 yarder in OT
	Browns 26 Bengals 10	Cleveland Municipal Stadium	Last game played at Municipal Stadium.
1999	Bengals 18 Browns 17	Cleveland Browns Stadium	First game at Cleveland Browns Stadium
	Bengals 44 Browns 28	Cinergy Field	Last game at Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field

2000s (Bengals 12-8)

Year	Result	Location	Notes
2000	Browns 24 Bengals 7	Paul Brown Stadium	First game in Paul Brown Stadium.
	Bengals 12 Browns 3	Cleveland Browns Stadium
2001	Bengals 24 Browns 14	Paul Brown Stadium
	Browns 18 Bengals 0	Cleveland Browns Stadium
2002	Browns 20 Bengals 7	Cleveland Browns Stadium
	Browns 27 Bengals 20	Paul Brown Stadium
2003	Bengals 21 Browns 14	Cleveland Browns Stadium
	Browns 22 Bengals 14	Paul Brown Stadium
2004	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.
	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	Bengals 27 Browns 13	Cleveland Browns Stadium
	Bengals 23 Browns 20	Paul Brown Stadium
2006	Bengals 34 Browns 17	Paul Brown Stadium
	Bengals 30 Browns 0	Cleveland Browns Stadium
2007	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. CIN: Carson Palmer 401 yards passing 6 TD (team record). Chad Johnson 11 rec. 209 yards 2 TD receiving.
	Bengals 19 Browns 14	Paul Brown Stadium	Browns controlled their own playoff destiny going into the game, however QB Derek Anderson throws 6 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	Browns 20 Bengals 12	Paul Brown Stadium
	Bengals 14 Browns 0	Cleveland Browns Stadium
2009	Bengals 23(OT) Browns 20	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Bengals won in OT with a Shayne Graham field goal.
	Bengals 16 Browns 7	Paul Brown Stadium

References

• Recap, 2004 Bengals 58 Browns 48
• Bengals All-Time Results vs. Browns