By Lyle Fitzsimmons, Contributing NFL Editor -- (Sports Network) - Somewhere along the line, the Buckeye State must've really offended the sporting gods.

In the last few years alone...the state's most celebrated university has been humbled in a pair of BCS football title games, its lone NBA team was unceremoniously swept in a championship series appearance and its two baseball teams have teased some, but failed more, while maintaining a World Series drought that's now reached 18 years.

But very little could have prepared fans for this weekend.

Ladies and gentlemen...we bring you the "Battle of Woe-hio."

When the Cleveland Browns arrive for their 1 p.m. Sunday date against the Cincinnati Bengals, the NFL will have perhaps its greatest collection of unwarranted hype, unfulfilled potential and unacceptable behavior in one stadium since Ryan Leaf practiced alone.

The teams enter at a combined 0-6 through three weeks of 2008 -- most recently featuring the Browns' 28-10 debacle at forever-loathed Baltimore and the Bengals' come-from-ahead 26-23 overtime loss to the New York Giants, somewhere in the swamps of Jersey.

Of course, the good news this time around? Somebody's got to win.

Well...probably.

Cleveland coach Romeo Crennel announced Wednesday that returning Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Anderson would keep his job for at least one more week in spite of a three-game performance that's seen him complete just 43 of 93 passes, toss five interceptions and engineer a league-low 26 points.

The Browns have averaged just 194 yards per game.

"I think the players are trying," Crennel said. "They are trying and they work hard. But we're not making the best decisions on the football field, and things like that will put you in tough situations against a good football team, particularly when you're on the road."

Cincinnati, meanwhile, has been outscored, 67-40, through three weeks while losing to a rookie quarterback at Baltimore, a stand-in quarterback against Tennessee and a scatter-armed quarterback who misfired on 17 passes before ultimately steering the Giants to victory.

The Bengals have allowed an average of 353 yards per game.

In addition, Carson Palmer was sacked six times against New York.

"We need to continue to sharpen our edges, get things finished," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said.

"We have to look at the detail of a couple of things. The issue we had with the sacks, we could spread that out over the group. Each area had a hand in it or some play in it. We need to continue to be sharper in those areas with everybody being on the same page."

SERIES HISTORY

The Bengals own a 35-34 advantage in their all-time series with the Browns, breaking a deadlock by virtue of a 19-14 home victory in Week 16 of last season. That defeat damaged Cleveland's hopes for its initial playoff trip since 2002. The Browns were 51-45 home winners when the clubs met in Week 2 of last year. Cleveland is 0-4 in Cincinnati since last winning there in 2003.

Lewis is 7-3 against the Browns in his career, including 4-1 in games held in Cincinnati. Cleveland's Crennel is 1-5 against both Lewis and the Bengals as a head coach.

WHEN THE BROWNS HAVE THE BALL

They haven't posted the results in 2008, but the Browns do have a recent track record that indicates they could do some damage this week. The team is 5-0 under Crennel when it scores at least 30 points, and Anderson has touched the Bengals for seven touchdowns and an 85.4 passer rating in two starts, including the memorable five-TD outing in a 51-45 shootout win in Week 2 last year. Cleveland is 4-0 when he reaches 100.0 on the passer rating scale. Wideout Braylon Edwards went for 146 yards and two scores in that game and will seek a third straight game in the series with at least eight catches and two TDs. Also thriving through the air against Cincinnati has been tight end Kellen Winslow, who's made 13 catches in the past two games. The Browns are 3-0 when the second-generation star has at least 100 receiving yards. On the ground, veteran Jamal Lewis averages 119.3 yards per game against the Bengals after 13 career meetings and 154 yards in the last two. Lifetime, his teams are 22-3 when he carries 25 or more times. And finally, Jerome Harrison scored for the first time last week on a 19-yard catch.

Opportunity has yet to knock loud enough for the Bengals, who've not recorded an interception and have just one sack - from lineman Antwan Odom - through three games while posting a minus-1 turnover ratio and allowing 353 yards per game. It would help things significantly if things changed, seeing how the team is 22-5 since 2003 in games where it picks off at least two passes. Veteran linebacker Dhani Jones, ex of the Eagles and Giants, leads the team with 32 tackles thus far, while defensive end Robert Geathers has 3.5 career sacks against Cleveland, his most against any foe. Additionally, safety Chinedum Ndukwe snatched a career-best two passes in his last game against the Browns, and kick returner Glenn Holt averages 24.9 yards per runback against them.

WHEN THE BENGALS HAVE THE BALL

Home field has been kind to the Bengals in the matchup with Cleveland, helping them to four straight wins in southern Ohio. In four career home starts against the Browns, quarterback Palmer has completed 70 passes for 811 yards and eight touchdowns. Though on the losing side, he tossed a career-best six touchdowns at Cleveland in the aforementioned 51-45 game last September. Among the wideouts, T.J. Houshmandzadeh aims for a TD in his fifth straight game against Cleveland, after running up five scores in the last four games. He tied a career-high with 12 catches against the Giants and accounted for 146 yards. Also, the receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson has averaged 125.3 yards in his last two against the Browns. Ground-wise, Michigan product Chris Perry looks for a third straight game with a rushing TD and Kenny Watson can follow up on his last game against Cleveland, in which he went for a career- best 130 yards on 30 carries with a touchdown.

Defensively for the Browns, it's not been good. The glaring weakness on the other side of the ball has been magnified by a unit that's surrendered 347 yards per game and has "helped" the team to an overall minus-2 turnover ratio. Additionally, they've managed just two sacks and three interceptions through the season's initial 12 quarters. Among the bright spots, linebacker Andra Davis has three career picks against Cincinnati, his most against any opponent. And another linebacker, rookie seventh-round pick Alex Hall, recorded his first sack in the loss to the Ravens. Lastly, in the return game, Joshua Cribbs aims for a fifth straight game with at least 100 combined kick/punt return yards against the Bengals.

FANTASY FOCUS

Another of the week's games where all offensive hands should be on deck. Last season's 129 points in two games are indicative of both the firepower and the lack of stopping power on each side, meaning names like Palmer, Houshmandzadeh, Ocho Cinco, Anderson, Edwards and Winslow can be expected to put up numbers this week and should be utilized. Though it could be another 19-14 game rather than another 51-45'er, scrap the defenses for both sides.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

With both teams at 0-3 after equally inept starts to their seasons, it's tempting to just go with the tried-and-true "this team's at home" tiebreaker and therefore side with the Bengals. But in the midst of quarterback controversy and still perhaps harboring a faint hope at advancing toward what seemed to be likely contention for the playoffs, the Browns have more to play for and more to lose by tumbling to 0-4. Look for Anderson to circle the wagons, keep his job and find the win column for the first time.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Browns 30, Bengals 24