The final whistle at Paycor Stadium felt less like a conclusion and more like a heavy sigh of relief. If you just glanced at the Cleveland Browns box score from January 4, 2026, you’d see a 20-18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals and think, "Hey, a win is a win." But for anyone who has suffered through this 5-12 season, that score tells only a fraction of the story. It was a weird, cold Sunday in Ohio.
The Browns didn't just win a game; they closed the door on the Kevin Stefanski era.
Honestly, the atmosphere was bizarre. You had a team with five wins playing a team with six, both essentially playing for draft positioning, yet the physicality was intense. Myles Garrett was out there hunting like the postseason was on the line, eventually helping secure a game where the defense basically dragged the offense across the finish line. Again.
Breaking Down the Cleveland Browns Box Score
When you pull up the stat sheet, the first thing that hits you is the disparity in yardage. The Bengals outgained the Browns 364 to 200. Usually, when you give up nearly double the yards of your opponent, you're looking at a blowout loss. But Cleveland has lived in the "statistically improbable" zone all year.
The box score shows Shedeur Sanders finishing 11-of-22 for 111 yards. No touchdowns. No picks. It was the definition of a "game manager" performance, but in a season where the Browns' offense has been historically young—with rookies accounting for over 80% of the total yardage—"safe" was the mandate.
📖 Related: Jake Paul Mike Tyson Tattoo: What Most People Get Wrong
Key Team Statistics
- Total First Downs: Bengals 24, Browns 11
- Third Down Efficiency: Browns 5-14, Bengals 5-11
- Total Yards: 200 (CLE) vs 364 (CIN)
- Time of Possession: Bengals 35:34, Browns 24:26
- Turnovers: Browns 1, Bengals 2
The real hero in the box score? It’s Devin Bush. He finished with 14 tackles and a massive pick-six that provided the Browns with their first-half cushion. Without that defensive score, Cleveland isn't even in this game. It’s kinda the story of the whole 2025 season: a top-five defense paired with an offense that’s still learning how to tie its shoes in the NFL.
The Rookie Foundation and Future Draft Capital
Looking at the Cleveland Browns box score isn't just about the 60 minutes played; it's about the investment. Andrew Berry went all-in on the 2025 draft, and you can see it in the play distribution. Dylan Sampson led the backfield with 10 carries for 32 yards. Not eye-popping, sure. But Sampson and Quinshon Judkins have shouldered a load that would break most veterans.
There's this crazy stat that came out after the game: Cleveland became the first team since the merger to have rookies lead the team in passing, rushing, and receiving yards for an entire season. Shedeur Sanders (1,400 passing yards), Judkins (827 rushing yards), and tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (731 receiving yards) are the new "Big Three," even if the record doesn't reflect it yet.
And then there's the trade.
👉 See also: What Place Is The Phillies In: The Real Story Behind the NL East Standings
Because the Jacksonville Jaguars got bounced in the Wild Card round by the Bills, we now know exactly where those picks landed. The Browns are sitting on the No. 6 and No. 24 overall picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. That’s massive. They moved back from the No. 2 spot last year, and basically turned one pick into a foundation.
Why the Defense Still Matters
While the offense gets the headlines because of the names (and the Sanders factor), the defense is why this team didn't go 0-17. Jim Schwartz’s unit finished the year ranked 4th in total yards allowed. They allowed the 3rd fewest passing yards in the league. Myles Garrett even managed to break the single-season sack record during this chaotic run.
If you’re a Browns fan, you're looking at that 20-18 box score and seeing a defense that is ready to win now and an offense that might be ready to win in 2027. It's a frustrating gap.
What This Means for the 2026 Offseason
The firing of Kevin Stefanski on January 5, just a day after the Bengals win, changed everything. The box score from that final game was his last act. Now, Jimmy Haslam is looking for someone who can actually maximize the "Sanders-to-Fannin" connection.
✨ Don't miss: Huskers vs Michigan State: What Most People Get Wrong About This Big Ten Rivalry
The schedule for 2026 is already out, and it's a gauntlet. They’ll face the AFC South and the NFC East. If the Browns don't find a way to move the ball more than 200 yards a game, it won't matter how many picks Devin Bush returns for touchdowns.
Basically, the season finale was a microcosm of the last four months. Gritty defense, a lack of explosive plays, and a whole lot of "what if."
Actionable Insights for Fans
- Monitor the Head Coach Search: The Browns are looking for an offensive-minded leader to develop Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. Names like Ben Johnson or even high-level college prospects are being floated.
- Draft Watch: With two first-round picks (6 and 24), expect the Browns to target a dominant offensive tackle or a true WR1 to help Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman.
- Salary Cap Maneuvers: With Joel Bitonio and David Njoku entering free agency, the Browns have some brutal decisions to make to keep the veteran core together while the rookies develop.
The Cleveland Browns box score from Week 18 is a wrap on a disappointing 5-12 campaign, but the 20-18 win gave the locker room a tiny bit of momentum heading into the most important scouting season in a decade. Keep an eye on the Senior Bowl; that's where the next piece of this puzzle will likely be found.