Bengals defense leads the way to 17-16 win over the Browns in opener

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CLEVELAND (AP) — DJ Turner and the Bengals defense heard the narrative throughout the offseason that they were mainly the reason why Cincinnati missed the playoffs last season.

On a day when Joe Burrow and the high-powered offense struggled against the Cleveland Browns, it was the defense that came up big and propelled the Bengals to their first Week 1 victory since 2021.

Turner and Jordan Battle came up with two huge interceptions in the second half as Cincinnati held on for a 17-16 victory on Sunday.

“It was great. We did exactly what we wanted to do," Turner said. "All the outside noise we don't care about. We've known the entire time what the defense can do.”

The Bengals — playing their first game under new defensive coordinator Al Golden — got the huge plays on a day when the offense had only 7 yards in the second half with five of their six possessions resulting in a three-and-out.

“We found a way to win. Like somebody said earlier, we didn’t win any of these games last year," said Burrow, who completed 14 of 23 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.

"Usually when you can win a game like this, that’s a recipe for success and that means you are going to be a good team if you can find a lot of different ways to win and we did today.”

The Browns outgained the Bengals 327-141 and had the ball for nearly 36 minutes, but it wasn’t enough.

Cincinnati also benefitted from new Cleveland kicker Andre Szmyt missing a pair of second-half kicks.

Szmyt, won the kicking competition from Dustin Hopkins in the preseason, was wide right on an extra point after Cedric Tillman's 5-yard TD reception midway through the third quarter put Cleveland up 16-14.

Szmyt was wide right again on a potential go-ahead 36-yard attempt with 2:25 remaining in the game.

“Can’t be minus-2 (on turnovers) versus a good football team. That’s the story of this football game,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We obviously missed a field goal, missed an extra point. Those are points, and in these types of games, you have to come away with points.”

Joe Flacco — the eighth quarterback age 40 or older to start an opener — was 31 of 45 for 290 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

Both of the picks were the result though of the ball going off the hands off Browns receivers and the Bengals defensive backs making great plays.

“I felt like we did a lot of good things, but we also did a lot of things that get you beat. You know, we just kind of felt we kind of played like an inexperienced team a little bit today," Flacco said.

Evan McPherson’s 35-yard field goal off the right hashmark with 2:48 remaining in the third quarter put the Bengals up 17-16. It was set up after Battle intercepted Flacco’s pass at the Browns 36.

The ball went off Jerry Jeudy’s hands and knees while he was on ground, but Battle dove, came up with the ball and returned it 2 yards.

Cleveland got the ball at its 33 with 1:50 remaining, but Tillman had a pass go off his hands and into the arms of Turner at the Browns 47 and returned 7 yards for his first NFL interception.

“For our guys just to find a way to win in the end. I’m proud of them," Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. "The best outcome of this game is 1-0. Forget about the stats. Forget about the score. Forget about how it all played out. The best the outcome could have been was 1-0 and we’re proud of that."

The 113 passing yards were the third fewest of Burrow's six-year career.

Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who signed lucrative extensions in the offseason, also struggled. Chase had only two receptions for 26 yards and Higgins had three receptions for 33 yards.

Tight end Noah Fant, signed the second week of training camp, had a team-high four receptions for 26 yards, including a 1-yard TD catch with 4:18 remaining in the first half.

“We stole one today, we’re going to have to do better,” Burrow said.

Chase Brown's 5-yard score marked the first time since 2015 that the Bengals had a touchdown on its first possession of the season. Brown had seven carries for 29 yards on the first drive and finished with 43 yards on 21 carries.

Raheim Sanders gave the Browns only their third touchdown on its season-opening possession since their return in 1999 with a 1-yard dive off right tackle to tie it at 7-7 early in the second quarter.

Bengals: Guard Lucas Patrick left with a calf injury in the second quarter and did not return, LB Logan Wilson was evaluated for a concussion in the third quarter but came back in the fourth.

Browns: OT Jack Conklin suffered an eye injury in the second quarter and did not return.

Bengals host Jacksonville next Sunday.

Browns are at Baltimore next Sunday.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl