Posted By the AP On Toledo Blade.com
The Browns are approaching a one-year anniversary, and there won’t be a party.
When they take the field today against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns will have gone 364 days since their most recent win, a 24-10 victory against San Francisco that seems eons ago.
Johnny Manziel was the winning quarterback, his finest moment before being cut and hitting the club circuit.
Since Dec. 13, it’s been a startling free fall for Johnny Football and the Browns, who are 0-12 and moving dangerously close to joining the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only teams in NFL history to not win a game in a 16-game season.
“Nobody wants to go winless, and we only can do something about it on Sundays because that’s when it counts,” said Browns quarterback Robert Griffin III, who will make his first start since Sept. 11. “I think everyone in this locker room is sincerely focused on this game and giving ourselves an opportunity to get that elusive win that we’ve been chasing.”
The Browns got a break from their pursuit of win No. 1 last week as a bye allowed them time to heal — mentally and physically.
Meanwhile, the Bengals (4-7-1) played perhaps their best game this season, blowing out Philadelphia 32-14 to keep their fading playoff hopes alive. Like Cleveland, Cincinnati hasn’t had the season it expected, and now the Bengals want to avoid the indignity of being the first team to lose to the Browns.
It’s a dangerous matchup for the Bengals, who again could be without star receiver A.J. Green because of a hamstring injury. A loss to Cleveland — Cincinnati won the Oct. 23 matchup 31-17 — and a win by Pittsburgh today or Baltimore on Monday night would eliminate the Bengals and extend their streak of not winning a playoff game to 26 seasons.
But first things first. The Bengals are determined not to overlook the Browns. As much respect as they have for Cleveland coach Hue Jackson, the Bengals’ former offensive coordinator who appeared to be Marvin Lewis’ heir apparent, they don’t want to lose to him. They know they’re in for a battle.
“You’re going to get all the fight they’ve got left,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth said. “Knowing Hue Jackson and the motivator he is, I’m sure he’s got them prepared for these last four weeks, that they’re going to give everything they’ve got every single week. The reality is it really shouldn’t be our concern because I expect our football team to be fighting the exact same way.”
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