How to watch, listen, and stream the opener in Cleveland
Two AFC North rivals start the 2025 season with a familiar edge. The Bengals have taken four of the last five meetings and outscored Cleveland 102–68 in that span, yet the Browns get the first crack at flipping the script at home with a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff at Huntington Bank Field.
TV: The game is on FOX nationally. If you get FOX through your cable or satellite package, you’re set on your TV. In many markets, an over-the-air antenna will also pull the broadcast if you’re within range of your local FOX affiliate.
Streaming: Fans with a cable or satellite login can stream on FOXsports.com and the FOX Sports App. Log in with your TV provider in the app on your phone or tablet, or on connected devices like Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, or game consoles. If you’ve cut the cord, check any live TV streaming service that carries FOX in your market—availability varies by city, so confirm your local FOX station is included before kickoff. Streaming on public Wi‑Fi can lag, so a stable home connection or 5G hotspot is your safest bet.
Radio: SiriusXM has dedicated team feeds for those on the move. Browns fans can listen on channel 226. Bengals fans get channel 381. You can also use the SiriusXM app on iOS and Android if you prefer streaming audio on your phone. Local radio network affiliates in Ohio and across the region will carry each club’s broadcast as usual; check each team’s radio network listings if you’re driving or tailgating.
Alternative coverage: For fans who can’t reach traditional TV or radio, several YouTube channels and independent broadcasters are offering real-time commentary: live scoreboards, play-by-play talk-throughs, and rolling stats. These feeds don’t carry game video but work well alongside a scoreboard app if you want constant updates.
Quick viewing tips to reduce streaming lag: close background apps, switch your streaming device to a wired Ethernet connection if possible, select the lowest-latency option in your app’s settings, and refresh your stream at kickoff to sync closer to live action. If you’re second-screening on social media, expect posts to spoil a play or two ahead of your TV—mute notifications if that bugs you.
Kickoff and stadium basics: Gates typically open well before kickoff for Week 1, and stadiums now lean heavily on mobile ticketing and clear-bag policies. Download your tickets to your wallet app before you leave home and charge your phone fully; scan issues at the gate usually come down to dim screens or dead batteries.
Why this Week 1 matters and what to watch
The Bengals enter 2025 behind Joe Burrow, one of the league’s toughest outs when healthy. Last season, Cincinnati finished ninth in total offense at 365.5 yards per game. The defense, though, sat 25th, allowing 348.3 yards per game, which turned a lot of shootouts into tightrope acts. That gap is the pivot point for their season: can the defense pull its weight while the offense stays explosive?
Cleveland comes in from the opposite angle. The Browns struggled on offense last year—bottom five at 300.8 yards per game—but defended better than the numbers sometimes showed, finishing 19th at 342.1 yards allowed. They’ve leaned on a physical front and a pass rush that can tilt a game, especially at home. If the Browns can squeeze the pace and win on third down, that evens a rivalry that’s skewed orange and black lately.
Recent history has tilted Cincinnati’s way, plain and simple. Four wins in five tries, a 4–1 record against the spread, and a two-touchdown scoring edge across those games tell the story. But rivalry openers have a way of ignoring trends. New wrinkles on both sides—coverage shells, protection calls, condensed splits in the red zone—rarely show up on preseason tape. You’re getting fresh play scripts here.
Matchups that decide it:
- Burrow vs. the rush: Cleveland’s edge pressure changes how teams call games. Burrow thrives on anticipation throws, but those die if the launch point shrinks. Watch for quick-game slants and choice routes to loosen the rush early.
- Bengals wideouts vs. Browns secondary: Cincinnati’s spacing and switch releases stress communication. If Cleveland forces reroutes at the line, the timing breaks; if not, expect in-breakers to pop on second-and-medium.
- Browns ground game vs. Bengals interior: When Cleveland stays on schedule, their play-action game opens up. Cincinnati’s interior has to win first down. If they don’t, the Browns can chew clock and limit possessions.
- Hidden yards on special teams: Week 1 coverage units can be choppy. Field position off one long return, or a botched operation on a kick, often flips these early-season division games.
Situational football will loom large. Cincinnati wants red-zone trips to end with six, not three, to keep Cleveland chasing. The Browns need long drives to keep the Bengals’ possessions down and force Cincinnati into fewer total plays. Third-and-manageable for Cleveland, and early-down efficiency for Cincinnati, is the trade both teams will try to win.
If you’re tracking the game without video, a simple rhythm check helps: note the Bengals’ early neutral-down pass rate and the Browns’ yards before contact in the run game. If Burrow is getting the ball out under 2.5 seconds and the Bengals are moving the sticks with quick outs and hitches, Cincinnati’s script is working. If Cleveland is peeling off four to five yards on first down, they’re in control of tempo.
What this game sets up: the AFC North rarely offers breathing room. A Week 1 win puts you ahead of a division race that usually needs 10-plus wins. For the Bengals, it’s about proving the defense has tightened and the offense hasn’t lost a step. For the Browns, it’s about proving the offense can carry its share and that home-field pressure still matters in September.
However you watch, the basics are simple: FOX on TV, FOX Sports with authentication for streaming, and SiriusXM channels 226 (Browns) and 381 (Bengals) for radio. Keep one eye on protection schemes, another on red-zone calls, and you’ll read the game just fine. It’s Browns vs. Bengals to start the year—clean slate, loud building, and points at stake that will echo in December.
