CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Cincinnati Bengals are 0-2 and Cleveland Browns are 1-1 within the AFC North forward of their showdown in Cleveland on Halloween evening. For the Bengals, a win will hold them on tempo with first-place Baltimore Ravens within the divisional standings.

Listed below are our employees picks from the Bengals writers:

Andrew Gillis: Bengals 27, Browns 23

The Bengals are absent Ja’Marr Chase, however I’m unsure that is going to matter a ton at this level. The Bengals’ offense continues to be a gifted group — the difficulty now’s that the posh of getting overly gifted receivers is gone. They merely simply have gifted receivers. Oh, the horrors.

I feel Cincinnati pulls out a win and will get to 5-3 forward of a matchup towards the lowly Panthers subsequent week. The Bengals’ protection has been the constant spine of the workforce this 12 months, and even up towards Nick Chubb, I’m unsure the Browns have sufficient firepower offensively to maintain tempo if the Bengals are in a position to get forward.

Michael Niziolek: Cincinnati 28, Cleveland 17

The main focus in Cincinnati has been on Ja’Marr Chase, however the damage report in Cleveland isn’t good both. They are going to be with out three key starters on Monday evening — tight finish David Njoku, proper guard Wyatt Teller and cornerback Denzel Ward — and so they’ve listed a dozen gamers on the damage report this week general. The Bengals will miss Chase and must be inventive to work round his absence, however they’ve the expertise at their talent positions to do it and oh by the way in which their quarterback is Joe Burrow.

The precise key to the sport may very well be how Cincinnati’s protection fares towards Nick Chubb and doesn’t enable the form of kind of explosive performs he’s had within the sequence going again to 2018. With Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, they need to be capable to efficiently key on in Chubb.

Mohammad Ahmad: Bengals 24, Cleveland 14

The Dangerous Information Browns might be with out their greatest cornerback in Denzel Ward, top-of-the-line receivers in tight finish David Njoku and certainly one of their greatest lineman, Wyatt Teller, who’ve all been declared out for Monday’s recreation. So in case you thought Ja’Marr Chase’s damage places the Bengals in a tricky spot, simply bear in mind: It could at all times be worse. Particularly when you’ve two receivers in Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins who can be No. 1 on most different rosters.

Counting on operating again Nick Chubb, who granted, is among the greatest within the league at his place, merely won’t be sufficient for the Browns to assist make up for the lack of Njoku. The Bengals are on their scorching streak of not permitting any second-half touchdowns this season. So even when Chubb is ready to make the D.J. Reader-less Bengals pay early on the bottom on Monday, there’s not way more quarterback Jacoby Brissett can do to assist add factors on the board.

Cincinnati will go house proud of a win and a bucket full filled with Halloween sweet.

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Extra Bengals protection

Zac Taylor confirms Ja’Marr Chase will ‘miss a while’

Every part Zac Taylor mentioned to reporters on Friday about Ja’Marr Chase’s damage: Transcript

Bengals protection charts new course at nook for Eli Apple, Cam-Taylor Britt

Bengals on excessive alert for Nick Chubb and his ‘online game tremendous powers’

Bengals’ leap up the rankings on offense: By the numbers

The place the Bengals go from right here with Ja’Marr Chase’s damage: Strictly Stripes podcast

Ja’Marr Chase is out, so Tee Higgins ought to step as much as assist fill the void for the Bengals

What the Bengals’ offense seems like with out Ja’Marr Chase

Ja’Marr Chase out 4-6 weeks with hip damage, based on report

Joe Burrow vs. Deshaun Watson: Who’s the higher franchise quarterback?

Joe Burrow on the Browns, climate forecasts, Halloween and extra: Transcript

Joe Burrow not wanting in rearview mirror in terms of rivalry with Browns

Ja’Marr Chase misses Bengals’ apply on Thursday

Bengals LB Logan Wilson ‘trending the suitable method’ forward of matchup vs Browns

Combining the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals to create a dominant All-Ohio offense