CLEVELAND -- Sunday was gruesome for the Cleveland Browns.
Not only were they dominated by the Bengals, they also were beat up to the point Austin Davis was playing with few weapons to help him on offense.
An early injury to Travis Benjamin left the Browns with three active and healthy wide receivers. Before the third quarter ended, he had only two.
Benjamin fell on his shoulder after a first quarter incompletion. He tried to return, but later left the game and the team announced he was out shortly after the second half began.
The Browns started the game with four inactive WRs. Andrew Hawkins and Taylor Gabriel have concussions, and Terrelle Pryor and Dwayne Bowe were healthy scratches.
Benjamin's injury left them with three active receivers -- Brian Hartline, Marlon Moore (a special-teams expert) and Darius Jennings (promoted from the practice squad on Saturday). But Moore injured his ribs in the second quarter and left the game in the third.
It made for tough circumstances for Davis in his first start.
The Browns also lost left guard Joel Bitonio in the first quarter for the game with an ankle injury.
Fullback Malcolm Johnson left the game with a groin injury in the first quarter.
And tight end Gary Barnidge had his right ankle re-taped after it was rolled up on the second play of the game. Barnidge did return.
This was the definition of a long day for the Browns.
