The Cleveland Browns walked into Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season with optimism, only to leave Paycor Stadium haunted by missed chances and wasted dominance. Against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns did nearly everything right, except finish the job. For the Browns, a 17-16 loss that slipped away despite statistical superiority raises uncomfortable questions about who truly deserves the blame. Cleveland dropped their 2025 season opener to the Bengals in heartbreaking fashion.