I just wanted to make sure you weren't one of those people who assume things. I haven't been to a Bengals game, but I have been to a handful of Reds games. I've been to a few games in Cleveland as well. Both cities have their ups and downs, but Cleveland does feel a little worse in certain areas. I only went to the flats for my brother-in-laws bachelor party and it wasn't too bad that night. It's still a hole. I can't remember what the street is, but there is a street lined with bars not too far from the football stadium that isn't terrible. There is also the Winking Lizard on the corner, which is my go to spot after games.
The area between where we stay and the baseball stadium in Cincy isn't too bad. There is a brewery that we usually hit before games and after one of them we went to McCormick and Schmicks, I think that it what it was called, and that was decent. We went for drinks and an appetizer and Tom Glavine was having dinner at the bar. That was rather cool, since I've been an Atlanta fan for 20 years.
To sum it up for me, the area in Cincy is nicer but still not what I would consider great. The area in Cleveland lets you know that you are in an old industrial city. I don't mind it, but some would.
To answer your last question, nothing about the Browns is great. Their improvement from last year is nice, but the Bengals falling off the wagon this year is terrible. When you go from the division winner who didn't lose a division game to the team that lost 10 straight, things aren't going well. Showing off the "talent" in Cincy just makes it that much worse. Basically you are saying that Cleveland has a better record right now with much less talent. Not a great point to make to show the Bengals are better.