CLEVELAND, Ohio — “Some’ll win, some will lose. Some are born to sing the blues.”
It’s your call to Journey’s "Don’t Stop Believin‘ " in the 2025 Browns, but the losing currently goes on, and on, and on, and on.
Forgive me, where are my manners?
Welcome to the first Winners and Losers column of the 2025 Browns season.
The Browns had a rocky start to the year in a 17-16 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals. But that’s just what the scoreboard says.
Let’s dive through this Journey and find the real winners and losers from the game:
Loser: Sure-handedness
Quarterback Joe Flacco displayed why fans were happy to have him back under center.
He showed his familiarity in this offense, completing 68.9% of his passes for 290 yards, one touchdown, though it came with two interceptions.
His two picks blurred his overall performance, although neither was on him.
Flacco’s first interception was headed for Jerry Jeudy.
The pass was a little low, but Jeudy made contact and had it in his hands. But he couldn’t retain possession, and had it bounce into the hands of Cincinnati’s Jordan Battle.
“If it touch my hands, I got to make that play,” Jeudy said after the game.
That pick set up Evan McPherson’s 35-yard field goal to give Cincinnati a 17-16 lead.
In the fourth quarter, Flacco found Cedric Tillman off a hook route, and the ball deflected off his hands. Cincinnati’s DJ Turner II lunged for the ball and grabbed it.
“We’ll get it next time,” Tillman said “Obviously, disappointed as a team, but we’ll learn from it and move on. But for sure we’ll connect and I’ll make the play next time.”
Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals, September 7, 2025
Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco throws a pass while he is protected by Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas blocking Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Myles Murphy in the second half. John Kuntz, cleveland.com
The end of Cleveland’s opening series in the last quarter was bad, and ended in a turnover on downs. The series featured back-to-back dropped passes: one by tight end Harold Fannin Jr., who had an impressive debut; then one by a wide open Jerry Jeudy.
You have to make those catches -- not only to continue the series, but to end another bad Browns trend.
In 2024, the Browns led the NFL in dropped passes (48). The year prior, they finished second (42).
Consistent catching has to enter the chat at some point, right?
Winner: The Browns defense
The loss was not on Cleveland’s defense.
They made one of the NFL’s most heralded offenses look discombobulated on Sunday.
Joe Burrow led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns in 2024.
On Sunday he threw for only 113 yards, and was sacked more times (three, all of which came during the first series of the fourth quarter) than he had touchdown passes (one).
In 2024, Ja’Marr Chase accomplished the rare Triple Crown, leading the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. Cleveland’s defensive backs showed out and limited him and Tee Higgins to a combined five catches on nine targets for 59 yards.
There was a different tone on Sunday. Cleveland’s defensive performance leaned more as a statement that they’ve still got it.
The remnants of what made them the best defense two seasons ago were visible on Sunday.
Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field
Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II is called for an pass interference penalty covering Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase in the first half. John Kuntz, cleveland.com
Loser: Discipline
Browns
Greg Newsome II recorded a blatant pass interference while covering Chase. That resulted in a 15-yard penalty, moving Cincinnati up to sitting 3 yards away from the end zone. Three plays later, the Bengals scored and took a 14-7 lead.
Dawand Jones accounted for four penalties, all coming in the second half, three of which were holding.
Bengals
Four of the team’s seven penalties came during the defense’s first series. Three resulted in a first down for Cleveland.
A defensive PI on Cam Taylor-Britt turned a third-and-3 into a first-and-10.
DJ Turner II did the same on his own defensive PI four plays later. And none other than the reigning sack leader in Trey Hendrickson was called for roughing the passer, and that positioned Cleveland on the 4-yard line.
The Browns offense was moving, but those penalties helped them move closer to scoring on their opening drive.
Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals, September 7, 2025
Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson runs the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half of play. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
Winner: Dylan Sampson
Sampson was in a weird spot going into training camp.
Jerome Ford was still the Browns’ RB1, at least on paper, but things looked set up for the 36th pick in Quinshon Judkins to take over at some point. Judkins’ off-the-field issues opened a window of opportunity for Sampson, and he ran with it to the point where he started the season opener.
And did he contribute.
“My old coach used to say ‘the ball finds energy.’ So that’s all I try to do when I get the ball in my hands, to maximize every single play,” Sampson said.
He had 93 total yards from scrimmage, including 64 off catching all eight targets.
Thirty-seven of those yards from scrimmage came during Cleveland’s second touchdown drive, single-handedly carrying that series.
You make the most of your opportunity, and the rookie out of Tennessee did exactly that.
Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals, September 7, 2025
Cleveland Browns place kicker Andre Szmyt reacts after missing a field goal that would put the Browns ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals in the second half of play. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com
Loser: Andre Szmyt
Anybody trying to argue Cleveland shouldn’t have cut Dustin Hopkins and that he would’ve made the kick, don’t.
Kickers have one job: Drain it.
Hopkins wasn’t doing much of that, and Browns management ended his tenure and promoted Andre Szmyt.
NFL offenses depend on their kickers to take them out of tight situations, and in a cut-throat league, draining kicks makes life easier.
Szmyt made an extra point and a 45-yarder in the first half.
But his misses on an extra point and a 36-yard field goal left four points off the board for the Browns.
A field goal that was shorter than his previous make would’ve made him the hero.
Next time, young man.
Football Insider newsletter free trial: Take a minute and sign up for a free trial of our Football Insider newsletter, featuring exclusive content from cleveland.com's Browns reporters.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.