With new owner Jimmy Haslam expected to be approved by the league this week, the Browns are close to winning one last game for Randy Lerner.
After trailing 14-7 at halftime, the Browns had outscored the Bengals 27-3 in the second half, taking a 34-17 lead.
Fourteen points came via two consecutive plays from scrimmage -- a short touchdown pass from Brandon Weeden to Benjamin Watson and a 19-yard interception return for a touchdown by Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown.
The Bengals have scored to cut the margin to 10, but they have less than six minutes to wipe out the rest of the deficit.