Every team in the AFC North has a winning record and no team has separated itself from the rest, making a Thursday Night Football matchup between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals a potentially crucial one at deciding divisional supremacy. It's also the first of two games in 2014 between the in-state rivals and their 82nd all-time meeting.
‘Thursday Night Football’ 2014 live stream: How to watch Browns vs. Bengals online
The AFC North has four teams with winning records, making it an important Thursday game between the Browns and Bengals.
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At 5-2-1, the Bengals hold a slim lead in the AFC North, but the Browns are knocking on the door at 5-3. Both teams enter Thursday coming off of wins, which has been a rare occurrence for the pair. Since the Browns returned to Cleveland, both teams have won in the same week only 19 times in the last 160 weeks.
The key to the matchup may be each team’s ability to stop the run, which could be a tall task. The Browns and Bengals are tied as the second-worst teams at defending the run, while both teams average more than 110 yards on the ground per game and are in the top five in the NFL in rushing touchdowns. Establishing the offense through the running game will be a priority for each team Thursday night.
To do so, both teams may rely heavily on rookie running backs. Giovani Bernard will sit out again for the Bengals, leaving rookie Jeremy Hill to shoulder the heavy load on the ground. He fared well last week, racking up 154 yards on 24 carries. Rookie Terrance West led the Browns in carries last week and fared much better than Ben Tate. West tallied 48 yards on 15 carries while Tate managed just 3 yards on 10 totes.
Here is how you can follow along, both on TV and online.
How to Watch
Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati
When: 8:25 p.m. ET
TV: NFLN
Announcers: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Tracy Wolfson
Online streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile | NFL.com
Odds
Cincinnati is favored by 6 points at home over Cleveland, with an over/under of 44, according to OddsShark.
Further Reading
For more on the Browns, head over to Dawgs By Nature.
To keep up on the Bengals, check out Cincy Jungle.
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