LOS ANGELES: Quarterback Brian Hoyer helped direct traffic for Cleveland’s potent running game as the Browns routed the Cincinnati Bengals 24-3 on Thursday, snapping a long road losing streak against AFC North opponents.
Running backs Terrance West, Ben Tate and Isaiah Crowell each scored rushing touchdowns to help the Browns beat the Bengals, halting a 17-game road division losing skid that dated back to 2008.
“We are playing as a team. Tonight on offence we were able to get the running game going and our defence was lights out,” said Hoyer.
Hoyer was 15-of-23 for 198 yards for Cleveland who improved to 6-3 as they enter this weekend tied with Pittsburgh atop the division.
The Browns rushed for 170 yards, with West leading the charge at 94 yards on a career-high 26 carries.
Quarterback Andy Dalton was a disappointing 10-of-33 and 86 yards for the Bengals who fell to 5-3-1. Dalton also threw three interceptions for Cincinnati who had their 14-game home unbeaten streak ended.
Cleveland’s defence held Bengals star AJ Green to just three receptions for 23 yards.
The Browns-Bengals game kicked off a slate of 12 games in week 10.
The first-place New Orleans Saints hope a key stretch of home games can help them improve on their season. The home span begins with this Sunday’s visit by the San Francisco 49ers to the Superdome.
New Orleans has followed up a 1-3 start with a victory in three of its past four to get to .500 on the season.
So the Saints are in top spot, just ahead of Carolina after beating the Panthers 28-10 last Thursday.
The Saints’ second win in a row came just four days after they routed the Green Bay Packers, so New Orleans has a little bit of extra rest going into a three-game homestand.
“There’s plusses and minuses with playing a Thursday game,” said New Orleans head coach Sean Payton.
“The challenge overall is the quick turnaround. The benefit is receiving a little bit of additional time to get people rested up. There were a number of things that we pointed out when they came back in that we have to work on.”
The season is on the line this week for the Chicago Bears who square off against the Packers.
Chicago has eight games remaining and at 3-5 would have to win seven of the last eight to reach 10 wins and a possible playoff game.
The Packers are also coming off the bye and easily beat the Bears 38-17 in week four. If the embattled Bears quarterback Jay Cutler plans on turning things around he will have to do it against the one team that seems to bewilder him the most.
Cutler is a dismal 1-9 as a starter against the Packers in the regular season, throwing for 13 touchdowns and a mind-boggling 19 interceptions in those games.
The Carolina Panthers visit the Philadelphia Eagles in an intriguing Monday night contest. AFP
