NFL Week 14 Matchup – Preview: Cleveland Browns at
Buffalo Bills
This Sunday the Buffalo Bills will play host to the Cleveland Browns in a nationally-televised game between teams with vastly different playoff possibilities. If you've seen both of these teams play,
you know their records don't accurately explain what type of teams they are. Both teams have played much better than their records indicate.
The Cleveland Browns beat the Miami Dolphins 13-10 last week and have now won four of their last six games. A pair of last-second victories has appeared to boost the spirits of the Cleveland Browns,
who were on the wrong end of a number of close games during their slow start.
Cleveland will attempt to earn a season-high third straight win by sending the Buffalo Bills to their third consecutive defeat Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
The Cleveland Browns aren’t completely out of the playoff picture but will likely have to win their final four games of the season to even have a chance. The Browns were 1-5 in games decided by seven
points or fewer during their 3-7 start, but they’ve won the past two by a combined four points. Cleveland got a break in the first of those wins November 28 when Carolina’s field goal attempt grazed off the left upright on the final play.
After their 24-23 victory, the Browns (5-7) made their own luck in last week’s 13-10 win at Miami when safety Mike Adams’ interception in the final minute helped set up Phil
Dawson’s 23-yard field goal as time expired. Cleveland’s only loss by more than 10 points was a 28-10 beating at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers back in Week 6. Since then the Browns have beaten the
likes of the Saints and Patriots and nearly beat both the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars.
“It’s about time for us to win some games like that,” Adams said. “Two years ago, or even last year, you can remember us losing a game like that. Fortunately, this year, it’s turning our way. So a
win is a win.”
The Buffalo Bills went on the road and had no answer for Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings, falling 38-14, their first loss by more than three points since Week 5. Buffalo Bills have two wins.
Of their 10 losses, six are by one score, of those six, four came by three points. This team will hang with you. I'm not saying they're going to win -- they've shown that's a problem -- but over the last two months Buffalo has been competitive in nearly every
game.
The Buffalo Bills would probably love to get any kind of win after seeming to regress over the past two weeks. Buffalo had looked so good in their previous six games, but you have to wonder if it
can still bring that same intensity down the stretch, as the games continue to mean less and less.
Bills (2-10) committed a season-high five turnovers and three personal foul penalties against the Minnesota Vikings. The Buffalo Bills’ center Geoff Hangartner and right guard Kraig Urbik are facing
knee injuries.
Starting right guard Eric Wood is likely to return after missing two games because of an ankle injury and take over for Hangartner. Ed Wang and Cordaro Howards are listed to split time at the right
guard on behalf of Urbik.
“It’s no fun to try to create continuity in a situation where there is none,” Coach Chan Gailey said. “You can’t do it in a short period of time. We’re just going to have to work and do the best we
can to patch a group together that can go play.”
If you are thinking about betting on the game this weekend then According to the Current NFL Public Betting Information our current NFL odds have the Bills favored by one point over the Browns at
home.
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