Grading The Positions From The Bengals vs. Browns Game

In a new weekly feature here at SB Nation Cleveland, I will look back at every Browns game and give a "Pass" or "Fail" grade to each positional unit. The grades focus on the unit's performance for that particular week. For example, the Browns' special teams is usually very good, but if they tank one week, they could very well have earned a failing grade for that week.

With that said, let's get started with the grades from the Browns' 23-20 victory over the Bengals this past Sunday.

• QB (PASS): While the Bengals don't feature a solid pass rush, Seneca Wallace managed the game well and had a lot of key throws to the tight ends. His passes over the middle in the seam continue to be some of his best passes. He'll give way to Jake Delhomme this week, but with the exception of him doing poorly on his two passes to Mohamed Massaquoi, Wallace filled in very well.
   
• RB (PASS): It's true that Peyton Hillis had a low yards per carry average to begin the game, but he still found the hole quickly and hit the Bengals hard. In fact, he took both Roy Williams and Jonathan Joseph out with injuries. To cap things off, he was given the rock on the final drive of the game and was able to move the chains to prevent Cincinnati from getting the ball back.
   
• WR (FAIL): Massaquoi was virtually non-existent again, and Brian Robiskie was inactive. Chansi Stuckey came through with a couple of key catches, but he also had a fumble (recovered by Floyd Womack) and dropped a pass that resulted in an interception.
   
  
• TE (PASS): While Ben Watson couldn't haul in two end zone passes, he was targeted often by Wallace for positive yardage, and Evan Moore came up with a big touchdown reception in the first half.
  
• OL (PASS): Besides blocking well for Hillis and Wallace, it's nice to see Tony Pashos perform well for the second week in a row. Womack's key recovery on Stuckey's fumble also averted disaster.
  

DEFENSE

• DL (PASS): It was a good day for veteran Kenyon Coleman, who scooped in two fumble recoveries and registered a sack. Overall, the line was able to stuff Cedric Benson often in the first half as well. It doesn't seem like Shaun Rogers is seeing enough action yet though.
  
• LB (PASS): Linebacker Scott Fujita was awarded my game ball on Dawgs By Nature for blocking a field goal and forcing a fumble on Carson Palmer. Besides Fujita, Matt Roth had his first two sacks of the season, including one on the Bengals' final offensive play.
  
• DB (FAIL): It wasn't pretty watching Terrell Owens dominate all of the Browns' cornerbacks, including Joe Haden, Sheldon Brown, and Eric Wright. Wright continued to struggle this week, and was targeted by Palmer late in the game but he didn't come through with the big play. While I don't disagree with the hit T.J. Ward delivered to Jordan Shipley (he was just trying to break up the play in my book), it gave the Bengals a fresh set of downs. Abram Elam continues to not make any noise.
  

SPECIAL TEAMS

• ST (PASS): Returner Joshua Cribbs set the Browns up with great field position most of the game, the Browns' coverage units stopped another opposing team, and Phil Dawson connected on all three of his field goal attempts. I like the distance that Reggie Hodges is getting on his kick returns, but he had fewer kicks inside the 20 this week.