Shelved for two practices last week with an illness, Bengals running back Chase Brown got the go-ahead to finish off one of the best seasons ever by a Bengals running back Sunday against the Browns at Paycor Stadium.

Brown needs to rush for 53 yards against the stingy Cleveland defense to join James Brooks as the only running back in franchise history to rush for at least 1,000 yards and catch at least 400 yards in a season.

Brown is seeking to add to his 65 catches, already a club-record for backs, to go with his 419 receiving yards. His first 1,000-yard rushing season would put him in the rarefied air of James Brooks when he went to the first of his four Pro Bowls rushing for 1,087 and catching 686 in 1986.

When the season closes Sunday night, four NFL running backs figure to have 1,000 yards rushing and 500 receiving: Christian McCaffery, Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and De'Von Achane. Brown needs 81 receiving to join them.

Since he went for a combined 100 yards in the 33-31 win over Pittsburgh at Paycor Oct. 16, Brown is tied for the most games of 100-plus scrimmage yards in the NFL with the eight of Bills running back James Cook.

He's never lost to Cleveland (4-0), but the Browns always make it tough. They come in ranked second against the pass and 14^th against the run. Brown has averaged 3.4 yards per 65 carries in the series and has eight catches for 45 yards.

Those 1,773 yards Brooks racked up in '86 are the club's single-season record for yards from scrimmage. Brown needs 34 yards to hit the 20^th 1,400-yard season in Bengals history. Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase needs 70 for another one to go with his two others.

Holiday Inn Defense

The Bengals defense has been in a giving mood to its offense during the holiday season, starting with the 32-14 win in Baltimore Thanksgiving night. The Bengals are not only third in the league in that stretch generating turnovers, but they also have the fourth-lowest third-down conversion rate at 31.4.

Plus, they're tied for fourth in interceptions and have the eighth most sacks in the NFL since Thanksgiving.

Slants and Screens

More history keeps beckoning Ja'Marr Chase. He needs two catches to pass Tyler Boyd for the fourth-most in Bengals history and a touchdown catch to break his tie with Ring of Honor member Isaac Curtis for the fourth-most in club history …

Chances are the Bengals won't rack up an average of the 41 points that they've rung up the last two weeks. But even though quarterback Joe Burrow has generated just an average of 20 points in his nine starts against the Browns, he's got solid numbers against them with a passer rating of 92.6 constructed on 16 touchdowns, five interceptions, and an average of 233 yards per game.

And he did generate two 30-plus games against Cleveland in his rookie year of 2020 …

As expected, the questionable B.J. Hill was active on the defensive front for the finale Sunday, as he was for every game this season after suffering an ankle injury in the spring that curtailed his preseason prep …

Tight end Cam Grandy (chest) was also questionable, but he was inactive …

As head coach Zac Taylor announced on Friday, returner Charlie Jones (ankle), edge Joseph Ossai (ankle), and cornerback Josh Newton (hamstring) were out …

With backup safety and special teamer P.J. Jules (ankle), back for the first time in three games, Daijahn Anthony was inactive …

Also inactive was Jordan Jefferson …