THE STORY: Two teams built for the future will get a reality check in the present when the Cleveland Browns host the state and division rival Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The Browns, who have won only 14 games in the past three seasons, swept out the old regime and brought in Pat Shurmur, who will be making his NFL head coaching debut. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis enters his ninth season on shaky ground and facing a sea of uncertainty after the team traded star receiver Chad Ochocinco and let quarterback Carson Palmer retire rather than bow to his wishes to be traded. Let the battle for the AFC North cellar begin.
TV: CBS, 1 p.m. ET. LINE: Browns -6.5, O/U 36.5
ABOUT THE BROWNS (2010: 5-11, 3rd, AFC North): Colt McCoy started eight games as a rookie and acquitted himself fairly well despite a serious dearth of playmakers surrounding him. The new NFL kickoff rules will diminish one of the team’s beat weapons in WR/KR Josh Cribbs. RB Peyton Hillis surprised everyone by rushing for 1,177 yards and 11 TDs and catching 61 passes. TE Ben Watson (68 catches, 3 TDs), led a nondescript receiving corps, so the team is hoping on rookie Greg Little to make an impact.
ABOUT THE BENGALS (2010: 4-12, 4th, AFC North): Cincinnati opted to replace Palmer and Ochocinco with a pair of rookies in QB Andy Dalton and WR A.J. Green, the No. 4 overall pick. As expected, Dalton struggled in the preseason and will look to lean on RB Cedric Benson, who is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and a five-day stint in jail last week for misdemeanor assault. The Bengals swept their division rivals in winning the AFC North in 2009, but their defense allowed 104 more points last season.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. Among wide receivers, Mohamed Massaquoi is the leading returnee for Cleveland with 36 receptions. For the Bengals, the departures of Ochocinco and free agent Terrell Owens means they will have to replace 139 receptions and 13 scoring passes.
2. Dalton, who won 42 games in four seasons at Texas Christian, will become the first rookie QB to open the season as Cincinnati’s starter since Greg Cook in 1969. McCoy holds the NCAA record with 45 wins in four seasons at Texas.
3. The teams split the series last season, with the games decided by a total of five points. Cleveland won at home 23-20 on Oct. 3 and the Bengals got even with a 19-17 win on Dec. 19.