Buffalo Rumblings
The Buffalo Bills are 10-4, and after defeating the New England Patriots 35-31 last week, they have a legitimate, though slight, chance at winning the AFC East. The Cleveland Browns, on the other hand, have already been eliminated from the playoffs, meaning it will be a second straight year without a postseason berth for head coach Kevin Stefanski’s charges.
All signs point to a blowout this weekend, but the Bills have dropped some head-scratchers so far this year. They were pounded by the Miami Dolphins when Miami was just 2-7. They were soundly defeated by the Atlanta Falcons. Neither of those teams will make the playoffs, so we can’t assume that the Bills will merely show up and be able to win the game.
Buffalo needs to avoid the let-down following an emotional divisional win. They also need to avoid the trap of looking ahead to a home date with the defending Super Bowl champs, who come to Highmark Stadium in Week 17. Buffalo needs to take care of business right now, and with a win, they can not only keep pace with New England in the AFC East, but they can also clinch a playoff berth for the seventh-straight season.
In order for Buffalo to come out on top this week, they’ll need their top performers to lock in and do their job. Here are five Bills to watch this week in Cleveland.
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QB Josh Allen
The easiest way for Buffalo to lose this weekend would be for them to have offensive drives that end in turnovers. In Bills victories this season, Allen has 19 touchdown passes, 12 rushing touchdowns, and four interceptions. He has one fumble in those 10 wins, but he did not lose that fumble. In Buffalo’s four losses, however, Allen has six touchdown passes, six interceptions, and four fumbles, two of which he’s lost. He has zero rushing touchdowns in the four losses, as well.
As bad as Cleveland has been this season, they have the No. 3 overall defense in terms of yardage allowed, and the No. 1 passing defense in terms of yardage allowed. That doesn’t bode well for a Bills team that has struggled against squads with corners that can press Buffalo’s wideouts. Throw in defensive end Myles Garrett, and the offense will have to focus on executing at a high level. That’s not necessarily news — after all, the Browns are an NFL club — but when the records are this lopsided, there is sometimes a tendency to assume a game could be a walk in the park.
Allen needs to take what the defense gives him, and offensive coordinator Joe Brady needs to continue mixing in designed plays for his running backs in the passing game. That should keep the Bills ahead of the sticks, and if Allen takes the easy money, it will help him to avoid turnovers.
RB/KR Ray Davis
The NFL’s leader in kickoff return average has earned the “slash” before his name. Davis has just...
