CLEVELAND — As bad as they've been, the Cincinnati Bengals can brag they're Ohio's best NFL team. And that ain't saying much.

Cedric Benson rushed for a career-high 171 yards and Leon Hall returned one of his three interceptions 50 yards for a touchdown to help the Bengals get their first road win this season, 14-0 over the hapless Cleveland Browns on a bone-chilling today.

After losing their first eight games, the Bengals (3-11-1) have won two in a row for the first time since the final two games of 2007. It was their first road win since beating Miami in the finale last season, and the shutout was Cincinnati's first since blanking the Browns 30-0 on Nov. 26, 2006.

Cleveland has lost five straight, seven of eight and hasn't scored an offensive TD since running back Jerome Harrison's 73-yard sprint on Nov. 17 at Buffalo — nearly 21 quarters ago. Cleveland didn't score a touchdown in its final three home games.

The Bengals didn't have to do anything more than hand the ball to Benson, who carried it 38 times. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was just 5-of-9 for 55 yards and a TD.

Benson, a former No. 4 overall draft pick by Chicago in 2005, signed with the Bengals in September because of numerous injuries at running back. The 26-year-old is trying to resurrect his career after being cut by the Bears, who released him following two offseason arrests.

He found plenty of running room against the Browns (4-11), who finished the home portion of their schedule by getting booed off the field by the hearty fans who braved subzero wind chills. Cleveland went 1-7 at home, one season after going a franchise-best 7-1 on the banks of Lake Erie.

To make matters worse for the Browns, quarterback Ken Dorsey hurt his ribs and was escorted to the locker room with six minutes left. Dorsey, who threw three interceptions, is only playing because of season-ending injuries to Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn. Cleveland had to go with recently signed QB Bruce Gradkowski, whose third pass was picked off.

The lone bright spot for Cleveland was running back Jamal Lewis, who became the 24th player in NFL history to rush for 10,000 career yards. Lewis came in needing 63 yards and went over the milestone on an 8-yard burst in the third quarter. He finished with 76 yards on 16 carries.

Fitzpatrick threw a 20-yard TD pass to Chris Henry in the second quarter for the Bengals, who will wrap up their season next week at home against Kansas City.

Browns wide receiver Braylon Edwards, who leads the league in dropped passes, has been a target for frustrated fans. He didn't help his relationship with them earlier this week by saying he hasn't gotten a fair break because he went to school at Michigan.

His every move figured to draw boos, and sure enough, Edwards was involved in the game's biggest play when Dorsey threw his first pass to a Michigan man — just not the one on his team.

Dorsey locked in on Edwards and his pass route was alertly jumped by Hall, a former Wolverine, who picked it off near Cincinnati's sideline and went untouched to make it 7-0. Hall added two picks in the second half to match the club record for interceptions in a game.