Bengals–Browns rivalry
National Football League cross-state rivalry in Ohio / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Bengals–Browns rivalry, often referred to as the Battle of Ohio, is a rivalry between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). Both teams are members of the American Football Conference (AFC) North Division, and play two games against each other annually.
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Location | Cincinnati, Cleveland |
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First meeting | October 11, 1970 Browns 30, Bengals 27 |
Latest meeting | January 7, 2024 Bengals 31, Browns 14 |
Next meeting | 2024 |
Stadiums | Bengals: Paycor Stadium Browns: Cleveland Browns Stadium |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 101 |
All-time series | Bengals: 53–48 |
Largest victory | Bengals: 37–3 (2015) Browns: 34-0 (1987) |
Longest win streak | Bengals: 7 (2014-2017) Browns: 7 (1992-1995) |
Current win streak | Bengals: 1 |
Championship Success | |
Super Bowl Championships (0)
NFL Championships (pre-1970 AFL–NFL merger) (5) Conference Championships Appearances (7) Division Championships (14)
Wild Card Berths (1970-Present) (13) |
Geography and a shared heritage add to this rivalry. Cleveland (Northeast) and Cincinnati (Southwest) are on opposite corners of Ohio, and essentially split Ohio. Both teams have direct connections to Paul Brown, who was both the former Hall of Fame head coach and namesake of the Browns and as well the founder of the Bengals franchise in the American Football League (AFL) in 1967, 5 years after he was fired from the Browns. The colors of both teams are similar, with the main color being orange.
The Bengals and Browns first played in 1970. Previously, the Bengals were a part of the AFL. After the AFL–NFL merger the Bengals and Browns were placed in the AFC Central Division, where they remained until the Browns suspended operations after the 1995 season as part of the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy that led to the creation of the Baltimore Ravens. The Browns returned in 1999 via an expansion draft and were again placed in the AFC Central. When the NFL realigned divisions in 2002, both teams remained in the Central, which was renamed the AFC North division.
Through the end of the 2023 season, the Bengals lead the overall series, 53–48. The two teams have never met in the postseason.