The Cincinnati Bengals have the advantage over Cleveland in the all-time record book, but since 2018 the two foes head-to-head matchups have been all Cleveland. In the last five seasons, these two teams have faced each other 11 times with Cleveland holding a 8-2 record during that span.
At an even more granular level, since Kevin Stefanski took over the Browns, he has a 6-1 record over his in-state rival. It’s safe to say that the Browns have the Bengals number over the past few seasons.
Cleveland’s putting that dominance on the line Sunday and frankly, the fan base couldn’t care less. For the first time in a long time, the Browns are playing in a meaningless game against the Bengals, having already clinched a playoff berth while the Bengals have been eliminated from contention.
Cleveland Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) nearly intercept a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) in the first quarter of an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cincinnati.© Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK © Kareem Elgazzar/
The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK Sunday has no impact on the NFL season and playoff landscape. The Browns are locked into the fifth seed and the Bengals are on the outside looking in.
Regardless of that, these two franchises don’t like each other and both will be trying to end their regular seasons on a high note.
Browns social media with a slight troll post toward Bengals
A Browns fan slight to the Bengals comes to social media
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73031499/usa_today_13964765.0.jpg)
As the Cleveland Browns face off with the Cincinnati Bengals, neither team or fanbase really cares that much about the game in Week 18. There are still those who want to knock off the in-state rivals for bragging purposes but, overall, the game is meaningless.
Interestingly, the Browns social media account decided to use a slight that Cleveland fans have often thrown at their Cincinnati counterparts: “The Bengals are not an Ohio team, they are from Kentucky!”
The Bengals facilities do border the State of Kentucky but are squarely within Ohio state lines. We can’t say the same for the Cincinnati Airport which is about 15 minutes into Kentucky.
