Photo credit: dawgsbynature.com
The Cleveland Browns played their first home game in nearly a month on Sunday as they went up against the Buffalo Bills. The Browns were trying to find a way to get back in the win column while the Bills were trying to improve to 7-2.
On the Browns opening drive, Baker Mayfield found wide receiver Jarvis Landry three times, including a touchdown pass to put the Browns on the board first 6-0. Kicker Austin Seibert would miss a 48-yard extra point after Landry was called for taunting following the touchdown.
The Browns defense was able to stop Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills offense on their first drive as the Bills were unsuccessful on a fourth down. This put the Browns in good field position as the offensive was able to drive the ball all the way to the goal line. When the Browns reached the goal line, they ran nine plays for negative one yards and came away with zero points.
In the second quarter, the Browns were in a similar situation. This time they were able to put up three points.
On the first drive for the Browns in the second half, the Browns started at their own eight-yard line, and quarterback Baker Mayfield got sacked in the endzone for a safety to tie the score 9-9. Later in the third, Siebert made another field to put the Browns up 12-9. Early in the fourth on Bills quarterback Josh Allen ran a QB sneak for his second touchdown of the game to put the Bills up 16-12.
With time running out, the Browns needed to use their final drive to score a touchdown. At the Browns 35 yard line, Mayfield threw a short pass to running back Kareem Hunt, who was making his season debut after serving an eight-game suspension, and Hunt dropped the ball. Initially, the call on the field was a fumble, and the Bills picked up the pigskin and scored a touchdown. However, after review, the replay official in New York determined Mayfield threw a forward pass, reversing the call on the field. With two minutes to go in the game, Mayfield made a huge pass to Landry to put the Browns at the Bills 7-yard line. Two plays later, Mayfield found wide receiver Rashard Higgins in the end zone for a touchdown. With just under two minutes to play in the game.
Allen would drive the Bills drove down to the Browns 35 yard line. With 15 seconds remaining in the game, Bills kicker Steven Hauschka would attempt a game-tying 53-yard field goal. The kick was wide left.
The Browns had done it! They won their first game since September 29, and they also won their first home game of the season.
My biggest takeaway from this game is that the Browns season is not over yet. Having Kareem Hunt back was a big help to the offense as he was able to give Nick Chubb some breaks. The touchdown at the end of the game to Higgins was just the spark that the Browns needed as Higgins was a key receiver to Mayfield’s success last season. For Freddie Kitchens, he still has to prove to me that he can be a head coach in the NFL after having so many opportunities to score in the red zone and not getting a single touchdown.
The Browns have little time to prepare for their next game as they will take on the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football in Week 11.