Despite the loss, the Cleveland Browns dominated their Week 1 contest against the Cincinnati Bengals.
That was largely due to the Browns’ defensive performance, one that limited the Bengals to under 150 total offensive yards.
Analyst and Browns legend Hanford Dixon gushed about that unit’s performance, noting that the defense “did enough to win.”
In particular, Dixon was effusive with praise for two players on that unit who he believes excelled.
“The two guys on the outside, talking about Greg Newsome and Denzel Ward. You can say what you want to say. You talking about two of the top, top wide receivers in the National Football League, and they pretty much shut them down,” Dixon said.
.@HanfordDixon29 is ECSTATIC about the defense's performance against the Bengals. Where could they have been better? #DawgPound
"You talking about two of the top, top wide receivers in the National Football League, and they pretty much shut them down!" pic.twitter.com/CaKBtmYusD
— The Top Dawgs Show (@TopDawgShow) September 11, 2025
Newsome and Ward combined for five tackles and three pass deflections in the game.
Overall, the Browns’ secondary limited Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase – the two players Dixon suggested are among the NFL’s “top receivers” – to just five catches for 59 yards.
Those two Bengals receivers were thrown to nine combined times, receiving the first- and second-most targets for Cincinnati.
Dixon also praised the Browns’ defensive line, adding that the team presented the Bengals with multiple fronts throughout the game.
“They just played their butts off,” Dixon said of the defensive line.
Cleveland’s front four sacked Joe Burrow three times for 18 yards while holding running back Chase Brown to two yards per carry.
The Bengals force-fed Brown the football to no avail, and his longest run of the afternoon was an eight-yard carry.
NEXT: Browns Veteran Fires Back At Doubters Ahead Of Ravens Game