Game story
In Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season on 2023-09-10, the Cleveland Browns took care of business against the Cincinnati Bengals, pulling away with a 24–3 final that controlled the game from start to finish.
The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 11 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
J. Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals) paced the passing game, with -16.65 total EPA, and -18.2% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, D. Watson (Cleveland Browns) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +5.49 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-13.0% win probability) landed in the opening quarter when Cleveland Browns changed the game: (3:44) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson to CIN 25 for -4 yards. FUMBLES, and recovers at CIN 25. 4-D.Watson to CIN 24 for 1 yard. Handoff to 34-J.Ford to CIN 16 for 8 yards (57-G.Pratt; 33-N.Scott). FUMBLES (57-G
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Cleveland Browns | 10 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 D. Watson · Cleveland Browns · Rushing · +5.49 total EPA · 3 snaps · +1.83 EPA/play
- 2 J. Chase · Cincinnati Bengals · Receiving · +2.36 total EPA · 9 snaps · +0.26 EPA/play
- 3 N. Chubb · Cleveland Browns · Rushing · +1.90 total EPA · 19 snaps · +0.10 EPA/play
- 4 J. Akins · Cleveland Browns · Receiving · +1.72 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.72 EPA/play
- 5 D. Njoku · Cleveland Browns · Receiving · +1.03 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.34 EPA/play
- 6 N. Chubb · Cleveland Browns · Receiving · +0.75 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.19 EPA/play
- 7 E. Moore · Cleveland Browns · Rushing · +0.37 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.18 EPA/play
- 8 D. Peoples-Jones · Cleveland Browns · Receiving · +0.26 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.13 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
D. Watson — CLE · Rushing
D. Watson posted the highest total EPA (+5.49) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Cleveland Browns's efficiency. Across 3 counted snaps, they averaged +1.83 EPA per play.
The signature play (-5.54 EPA) came from Cleveland Browns: (9:53) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass short left intended for 8-E.Moore INTERCEPTED by 23-D.Hill (95-Z.Carter) at CIN 30. 23-D.Hill pushed ob at 50 for 20 yards (71-J.Wills). Penalty on CLE-77-W.Teller, Offensive Holding, dec
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Cleveland Browns — D. Watson
- Cleveland Browns — H. Bryant (D. Watson pass)
Field goals
- Cleveland Browns — D. Hopkins
- Cincinnati Bengals — E. McPherson
- Cleveland Browns — D. Hopkins
- Cleveland Browns — D. Hopkins
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The second quarter: Cleveland Browns won the period 10–0. Cleveland Browns connected on a field goal from the CIN 24 (Q2 44:19) — (14:19) 7-D.Hopkins 42 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-C.Hughlett, Holder-13-C.Bojorquez.; Cleveland Browns found the end zone from the CIN 13 (Q2 30:22) — (:22) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson left end for 13 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Cleveland Browns added 1 points from the CIN 15 (Q2 30:17) — 7-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-47-C.Hughlett, Holder-13-C.Bojorquez..
The third quarter: The quarter finished even at 3–3. Cincinnati Bengals connected on a field goal from the CLE 24 (Q3 26:48) — (11:48) 2-E.McPherson 42 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-C.Adomitis, Holder-10-B.Robbins.; Cleveland Browns connected on a field goal from the CIN 16 (Q3 17:25) — (2:25) 7-D.Hopkins 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-C.Hughlett, Holder-13-C.Bojorquez..
The fourth quarter: Cleveland Browns won the period 11–0. Cleveland Browns connected on a field goal from the CIN 25 (Q4 11:33) — (11:33) 7-D.Hopkins 43 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-C.Hughlett, Holder-13-C.Bojorquez.; Cleveland Browns found the end zone from the CIN 3 (Q4 9:14) — (9:14) 53-N.Harris and 66-J.Hudson reported in as eligible. 4-D.Watson pass short right to 88-H.Bryant for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Cleveland Browns registered a safety from the CIN 2 (Q4 9:11) — TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 4-D.Watson rushes left tackle. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Cleveland Browns (Q1 48:44) — (3:44) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson to CIN 25 for -4 yards. FUMBLES, and recovers at CIN 25. 4-D.Watson to CIN 24 for 1 yard. Handoff to 34-J.Ford to CIN 16 for 8 yards (57-G.Pratt; 33-N.Scott). FUMBLES (57-G
- Cleveland Browns (Q3 24:53) — (9:53) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass short left intended for 8-E.Moore INTERCEPTED by 23-D.Hill (95-Z.Carter) at CIN 30. 23-D.Hill pushed ob at 50 for 20 yards (71-J.Wills). Penalty on CLE-77-W.Teller, Of
- Cleveland Browns (Q1 50:06) — (5:06) (Shotgun) 24-N.Chubb left tackle to CIN 26 for 17 yards (22-C.Awuzie).
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q3 21:57) — (6:57) 2-E.McPherson 51 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Right, Center-48-C.Adomitis, Holder-10-B.Robbins.
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q2 38:47) — (8:47) 10-B.Robbins punts 38 yards to end zone, Center-48-C.Adomitis, Touchback.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Cleveland Browns (Q3 24:53) — (9:53) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass short left intended for 8-E.Moore INTERCEPTED by 23-D.Hill (95-Z.Carter) at CIN 30. 23-D.Hill pushed ob at 50 for 20 yards (71-J.Wills). Penalty on CLE-77-W.Teller, Of
- Cleveland Browns (Q1 48:44) — (3:44) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson to CIN 25 for -4 yards. FUMBLES, and recovers at CIN 25. 4-D.Watson to CIN 24 for 1 yard. Handoff to 34-J.Ford to CIN 16 for 8 yards (57-G.Pratt; 33-N.Scott). FUMBLES (57-G
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q4 10:32) — (10:32) (Shotgun) 9-J.Burrow sacked at CIN 18 for -13 yards (95-M.Garrett).
- Cincinnati Bengals (Q3 21:57) — (6:57) 2-E.McPherson 51 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Right, Center-48-C.Adomitis, Holder-10-B.Robbins.
Quarterback report card
J.Burrow led all passers in efficiency for Cincinnati Bengals, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- J.Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals) · 35 dropbacks · 40.0% completion · -18.2% CPOE · -0.48 EPA/play · -16.65 total EPA
- D.Watson (Cleveland Browns) · 35 dropbacks · 45.7% completion · -6.9% CPOE · -0.26 EPA/play · -8.95 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.411 | -0.097 |
| Offensive success rate | 19.5% | 41.6% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.497 | -0.256 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.240 | -0.047 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.097 | +0.411 |
| Defensive success rate | 58.4% | 80.5% |
By the numbers
Cleveland Browns held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (-0.10 vs -0.41), even if the scoreboard told a different story.
- Cincinnati Bengals: 15 drives, -31.63 total EPA, 1 scoring drives
- Cleveland Browns: 14 drives, -8.66 total EPA, 5 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Cleveland Browns leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- D. Watson (Cleveland Browns) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- J. Burrow (CIN) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
- D. Watson (CLE) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Cleveland Browns FG (+3) — Q2 44:19 · CIN 24 · Score 0-3
(14:19) 7-D.Hopkins 42 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-C.Hughlett, Holder-13-C.Bojorquez. - Cleveland Browns TD (+6) — Q2 30:22 · CIN 13 · Score 0-9
(:22) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson left end for 13 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Cleveland Browns XP (+1) — Q2 30:17 · CIN 15 · Score 0-10
7-D.Hopkins extra point is GOOD, Center-47-C.Hughlett, Holder-13-C.Bojorquez. - Cincinnati Bengals FG (+3) — Q3 26:48 · CLE 24 · Score 3-10
(11:48) 2-E.McPherson 42 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-C.Adomitis, Holder-10-B.Robbins. - Cleveland Browns FG (+3) — Q3 17:25 · CIN 16 · Score 3-13
(2:25) 7-D.Hopkins 34 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-C.Hughlett, Holder-13-C.Bojorquez. - Cleveland Browns FG (+3) — Q4 11:33 · CIN 25 · Score 3-16
(11:33) 7-D.Hopkins 43 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-47-C.Hughlett, Holder-13-C.Bojorquez. - Cleveland Browns TD (+6) — Q4 9:14 · CIN 3 · Score 3-22
(9:14) 53-N.Harris and 66-J.Hudson reported in as eligible. 4-D.Watson pass short right to 88-H.Bryant for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Cleveland Browns Safety (+2) — Q4 9:11 · CIN 2 · Score 3-24
TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. 4-D.Watson rushes left tackle. ATTEMPT SUCCEEDS.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns?
The Cleveland Browns beat the Cincinnati Bengals 24-3 in Week 1, 2023 on 2023-09-10.
What was the final score of Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns?
The final score was Cincinnati Bengals 3, Cleveland Browns 24 (CIN 3-24 CLE) in Week 1, 2023 on 2023-09-10.
What was the score by quarter in Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns?
Q2: Cincinnati Bengals 0, Cleveland Browns 10; Q3: Cincinnati Bengals 3, Cleveland Browns 3; Q4: Cincinnati Bengals 0, Cleveland Browns 11; Final: Cincinnati Bengals 3, Cleveland Browns 24.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns?
Cleveland Browns touchdown — D. Watson (Q2 30:22) Cleveland Browns touchdown — H. Bryant (D. Watson pass) (Q4 9:14) Cleveland Browns field goal — D. Hopkins (Q2 44:19, 3 pts) Cincinnati Bengals field goal — E. McPherson (Q3 26:48, 3 pts) Cleveland Browns field goal — D. Hopkins (Q3 17:25, 3 pts) Cleveland Browns field goal — D. Hopkins (Q4 11:33, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns?
J. Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals), 40.0% completion, -18.2% CPOE, -0.48 EPA per dropback, -16.65 total passing EPA. D. Watson (Cleveland Browns), 45.7% completion, -6.9% CPOE, -0.26 EPA per dropback, -8.95 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns?
D. Watson (Cleveland Browns) led the game in total EPA with +5.49 on rushing plays. across 3 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-5.54 EPA): (9:53) (Shotgun) 4-D.Watson pass short left intended for 8-E.Moore INTERCEPTED by 23-D.Hill (95-Z.Carter) at CIN 30. 23-D.Hill pushed ob at 50 for 20 yards (71-J.Wills). Penalty on. The biggest win-probability swing was -13.0%.
Season records after this game
Cincinnati Bengals
Now 0-1 L
Cleveland Browns
Now 1-0 W
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