By CHUCK POLLOCK, Wellsville Sun Senior Sports Columnist
Remember that old lottery commercial … “You’ve got to be in it to win it?”
Well, on Sunday afternoon at Cleveland’s Huntingdon Stadium, the Buffalo Bills did their part, beating the Browns, 23-20, in an unsightly victory that kept alive their hopes for a sixth straight AFC East title. But more importantly set themselves up for a playoff berth as soon as tomorrow night.
In order to qualify for a post-season berth, the Bills had to beat Cleveland — check — then have either Houston lose at home to Las Vegas — nope, won 23-21 — or Indianapolis lose at home to San Francisco (10-4) Monday night (not unlikely).
BUFFALO came into Sunday as a 10 1/2 point favorite though somebody forgot to tell the Browns.
And the game turned Josh Allen, the defending NFL MVP into the dreaded “game manager.” He went 12-of-19 for 130 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions and was sacked twice.
Buffalo won this game, again because of its ground game.
Running back James Cook, became the league leader by logging his ninth 100-yard game of the season. He went for 117 yards on 16 carries with touchdowns of 44 and 3 yards, giving him 12 on the season. He now has 1,532 yards, the third-most in franchise history behind only O.J. Simpson (1,817 and 2,003).
On the game, the Bills, who lead the league in rushing, totaled 164 such yards but there was also a sign of there defensive vulnerability as, once again, that unit extremely generous permitting Cleveland’s hardly productive ground game 160 yards. That’s why the Browns had a possession to win the game in the final two minutes.
When asked about Cook, Allen said, “He’s the best back in football. I don’t know how awards shake out, but he should be in the running for every award.
“He’s an absolute stud. We love having him, and he makes our offense go.”
— Notes from the Bills’ 23-20 victory over the Browns on Sunday at Cleveland’s Huntingdon Bank Stadium.
— Buffalo became only the fifth NFL team to win at least 11 games in six consecutive seasons and is on the verge of making the playoffs in seven consecutive years.
— Bills quarterback Josh Allen was sacked by Browns tackle Mason Graham and edge rusher Myles Garrett, giving each 1/2 on the season leaving the latter a sack from the NFL record. On the play, Allen appeared to tweak his ankle and limped off the field but after x-rays he was cleared to return.
— Defensive star for Buffalo was edge rusher Greg Rousseau who had 2 1/2 sacks giving him 6 1/2 on the season and 32 1/2 on his career.
— Kicker Micheal Badgley, replacing the injured Matt Prater, missed his second extra-point attempt. He also missed the landing zone on one of his kickoffs.
— The game’s first takeaway came when Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ pass was deflected and intercepted by Bills safety Jordan Poyer his first of the season and 13th of his career. Sanders left the game with a lacerated pinky that caused him to miss a play while it was attended to. Later, Shedeur’s pass was deflected by edge rusher Joey Bosa and was picked off by tackle DaQuan Jones, the first of his 12-year career.
— Bills linebacker Shaq Thompson left the game with a neck injury and Browns running back Quinshon Judkins left with what appeared to be a broken leg exiting on a cart.
— Inactive for the Bills were kicker Prater (quad), defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (ankle), wide receivers Keon Coleman and Gabe Davis, cornerback Darnell Savage, offensive tackle Tyler Grable and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi.
— It’s worth noting that with Coleman and Davis inactive, the Bills got only six receptions for 67 yards from the wide receivers.
(Chuck Pollock, a Wellsville Sun senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@wnynet.net.)
