Getty Images Bengals RB Joe Mixon.
The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals are set to square off in a crucial AFC North matchup on Sunday and Joe Mixon understands what’s at stake.
Fresh off an upset loss to the New Yor Jets, the Bengals running back knows his team needs to turn it around with the division standings so tight. Cincinnati is currently 5-3 and Cleveland is 4-4 after falling to the Steelers 15-10 on Sunday.
“We’ve got to respond in a way that we come through and send a message,’’ Mixon said, per cleveland.com. “And that message has to be strong. With the team, we just have to do whatever we can to be ready for this game coming up because it’s big. No matter what, every game is big and this one just got bigger.”
The Bengals are already 2-0 in the division, beating the Steelers and Ravens by a combined score of 65-27.
“Hopefully the coaches can continue to believe in us as players to put it out there on the field,” Bates said. “To do the things we want to do we have to win our division. Going 3-0 in the division going into a bye week would be huge.”
Browns Reeling After Loss to Steelers
While the Bengals were featured in the upset of the week, the Browns felt they let one get away against the Steelers, falling 15-10 and to 4-4 this season.
“It is not fun. It was definitely a winnable game for us, but we did not do it. We did not execute like we needed to,” Browns defensive end Myles Garrett told reporters after the game. “We had a good game on defense, but not well enough. Nobody is happy with what we did on any of the phases, and so, we need to go back to the drawing board and keep on working. We have nine more games. At the end of the day, the crown of the AFC is still up in the air – at least in the AFC North.”
The Browns are currently +600 to win the division, despite having the opportunity over the next few weeks to make up some ground. The Bengals sit at +375 and the Steelers at +600. The Ravens currently the favorite at -140, per Caesars Sportsbook.
“We need to be worried about us. We know our division is extremely talented. It is a very tough, physical division. We know that. Obviously, with the Bengals coming along, you can feel that. We have to take it one week at a time. We have to do our job. It is not about anybody else but us right now. That is just a fact. We have to handle it that way. We can’t be worried about the big picture. We have to take it one week at a time and just chip away at this.”
Trade Deadline Could Impact AFC North
The trade deadline is looming and the AFC North could look a little different after it passes. The Browns, in particular, have some names that have been mentioned in trade talks — from Odell Beckham Jr. to David Njoku.
When it comes to Beckham, the Browns need to figure out how to integrate him into the offense or let him go. Beckham had just one target in the loss to the Steelers. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski belives Beckham can still be a game-changing talent.
“I do based off of what I see from him each week,” Stefanski told reporters on Monday. “Again, I just think he can affect the game. That is where I am really making sure that myself and coaches we have to put him in position to make some plays.”
The Bengals are a 3-point favorite against the Browns on Sunday.