CINCINNATI (AP) – Andy Dalton’s interception helped the Cleveland Browns take a 7-3 lead in the first quarter of their AFC North showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night.
The game marked the first since 1986 – when Bernie Kosar and Boomer Esiason were the quarterbacks – that the intrastate rivals played with first place on the line so late in the season.
With a cold, gusty wind making it tough to throw, both teams were conservative early on. And the Bengals made the first big mistake.
Dalton’s first pass of the game was high and incomplete. His second pass was intercepted by linebacker Craig Robertson, who returned it to the 18. Five plays later, Ben Tate went into the end zone from 4 yards for the lead.
Dalton completed only one of his first seven throws for 5 yards with the interception, drawing boos from the crowd at Paul Brown Stadium.