SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 29, 2013
Browns 17, Bengals 6: Brian Hoyer threw a pair of touchdown passes and Cleveland held visiting Cincinnati out of the end zone on the way to its second straight win.
Hoyer, who replaced Brandon Weeden (sprained thumb) a week ago and helped beat Minnesota with three scoring passes, connected with tight end Jordan Cameron from 2 yards out to open the scoring in the first quarter. The Ohio native, who was making his first home start, sealed the contest in the fourth quarter with another short lob to Chris Ogbonnaya to cap the scoring.
Hoyer finished 25-for-38 for 269 yards for Cleveland (2-2). Cameron, who has five touchdown receptions on the season, caught 10 passes for 91 yards.
Andy Dalton, who threw for a career-high 381 yards at Cleveland last year, suffered through a miserable day. He finished just 23-for-42 for 206 yards, lost a fumble and threw an interception to end any Bengals' comeback hopes with under four minutes to play.
Cincinnati (2-2) could only muster a pair of field goals by Mike Nugent and finished with 63 yards rushing. Cleveland's Billy Cundiff connected on a 51-yard field goal for Cleveland but missed two attempts.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Cleveland got penetration in the backfield to stuff RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis on a key fourth down at the Browns' 7-yard line with 4:25 left in the first half. ...The Bengals extended their streak of not allowing a 300-yard passer to 18 straight games but were held without a TD for the first time since Sept. 25, 2011 against San Francisco. ... Cincinnati LB Vontaze Burfict suffered an apparent neck injury making a tackle in the fourth quarter but returned a few plays later.