Not everyone can go home happy in Week 1, but the Cincinnati Bengals can hold their heads high for finally winning a season opener for the first time since 2021. They did just enough on the road to get a gritty 17-16 win over the division rival Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
It wasn't pretty at all. A missed extra point and 36-yard field goal by the Browns' Andre Szmyt did a lot of heavy lifting to swing the outcome in Cincinnati's favor.
Who cares? The scoreboard is all that matters. Honestly, while a close loss would've been frustrating beyond what words can express, the Bengals showed encouraging signs of life.