Benjamin Franklin once said, “In this world, nothing is certain except death, taxes, and the Cleveland Browns ruining Sunday afternoons for their fans.” Ok, he didn’t quite say that, but you get what I’m saying. Last week, the Browns were completely dismantled by the Chicago Bears 31-3. After one of the worst losses of the Kevin Stefanski era, the Browns are now just trying to stay competitive. Unfortunately, this week is probably their toughest test yet. The Browns are set to take on one of the NFL’s best: the Buffalo Bills. Down below, we’ll see if they can pull off the upset of the year or if it’ll be more of the same.
Buffalo entered this season as a Super Bowl contender, and so far, they have not disappointed.
Even with them throwing the ball the least out of all other teams, Buffalo still touts the league’s most explosive aerial attack. Quarterback Josh Allen has recently recaptured his MVP form after getting off to a slow start earlier this season. His 3,276 passing yards are the sixth-most in the NFL, while his 25 passing touchdowns are good for the fourth-most.
What’s most impressive about Allen is his improvement year after year. This can be seen from his season completion percentage of 70%, second only to divisional rival Drake Maye’s 70.9%. Since ball placement and accuracy were two of his biggest flaws coming out of college, it’s impressive that he’s become one of the NFL’s most precise passers. Perhaps Allen’s most glaring weakness is that he’s susceptible to turning the ball over too often. His 12 total turnovers (10 interceptions, two fumbles lost) are the sixth-most in the league. If Cleveland can force Allen into ill-advised passes, players such as CB Tyson Campbell and S Grant Delpit could make plays.
Even with the reigning NFL MVP under center, Buffalo has relied on the run game more than any other team. Their 49.8 run play percentage is the highest in the NFL. Not only are they running the ball a considerable amount, but they’re effective when doing so. The duo of Allen and breakout star RB James Cook III has been dynamic, to say the least. Cook currently ranks in the top five for most rushing stats, including rushing attempts, rushing yards, yards per rush, and rushing touchdowns. Accounting also, Allen’s ability as a runner (535 rushing yards, 12 TDs), it’s clear that Buffalo’s ground game is among the NFL’s elite. Penetration with the defensive line and effective tackling are crucial for Cleveland to slow down the Bills’ rushing attack.
The strength of Buffalo’s defense lies in its secondary, primarily so CB Tre’davious White. A two-time Pro Bowler, White, has been statistically one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL this season. While on the surface, his performance may seem average (35 tackles, eight PDs, one INT), a closer look shows how stellar he’s been for the Bills. When targeted, he’s allowing a 55.0% completion percentage and a passer rating of 79.0, both well below the league averages. With White and the Bills’ secondary playing at a high level, combined with the frigid wind chill forecasted for Sunday, I doubt we’ll see Shedeur Sanders and the Cleveland receivers having much success.
A porous run defense might be Buffalo’s Achilles heel and Cleveland’s only hope of winning. The Bills give up the second-most yards per rush and the third-most rushing yards per game. Browns RB Quinshon Judkins might be due for a big game on Sunday. He’s struggled mightily recently, being held to 46 rushing yards in the last two games and one rushing touchdown in the last three. For Cleveland to have any type of chance on Sunday, Judkins will need to break this slump that he’s found himself in.
Strengths:
- Best Rushing Offense In the NFL
- Top-tier Secondary
- Decent Pass Rush
Weaknesses:
- Defense Suspect against Run
- Turnover-Prone QB
For the Browns, the bad news is that they’re playing horribly, they’re playing one of the best teams in the league, and multiple key players are out with injuries. The good news is that the season is almost over. I don’t expect Cleveland to win, and after what we saw last week, I don’t expect it to be close. Barring a breakout game from Quinshon Judkins or a Tom Brady-esque performance from Shedeur Sanders, Buffalo should win with little difficulty. Even if those two things were to happen, I wouldn’t hold my breath for a Browns victory.
Score Prediction:
- CLE- 12
- BUF- 22
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