3 things we learned from the Bengals’ satisfying win over the Browns

This team is feeling good.

Belief. It’s a big part of football.

And the Cincinnati Bengals (7-8) are showing that they believe they’re a good football team on the field for the first time this year.

The 18-point win over the Cleveland Browns (3-12) was the largest margin of victory for the Bengals. And if you watched the game or listened to players afterwards, you’ll see it’s clear why this game wasn’t close.

Here’s what we learned:

Joe Burrow’s never been more in control of the game

The QB not only has the best stats of his career, but he’s also visibly looser on the field.

That was never more apparent than in this game, against his old intra-state nemesis.

Myles Garrett and the Browns had had Burrow’s number in the past. But this time, despite the mismatch in the trenches, the superstar QB was calm and collected, gliding around and flipping the ball to Drew Sample or casually throwing from his knees to Tee Higgins in the endzone.

Whether it’s because he’s gotten used to carrying the team this year or he’s just processing faster, Burrow is in complete control of the offense in a way very few have ever been.

Amarius Mims has the fire the o-line lacked

Regardless of how you feel about players getting into heated conversations with their coaches, it’s hard to not like what we just saw from the rookie right tackle.

After suffering an ankle injury, Mims’ entire concern was his QB’s protection. “I was thinking about Joe,” he said after the game. “I was thinking about o-line. I didn’t want to put anyone in harm’s way.”

The Bengals may have found a new leader on the o-line in the very young lineman.

It was all about confidence for Geno Stone

The new system and lower profile teammates in the secondary had Stone feeling out of place for most of the season after coming over from the Baltimore Ravens. But now the safety is back to making big plays on the regular.

Stone has six passes defended and three interceptions in his last three games. That gives him four pick on the year, which isn’t a far cry from the seven he had in his amazing 2023-24 season.

In other words…