The Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns enter Week 10 with records that have surprised many fans.
Sitting at 6-2 and firmly in the playoff discussion, the Bills are where the Browns hoped they’d be at this point in the year. Instead, Cleveland sits in third place in the AFC North with a porous 2-6 record and their postseason hopes all but lost.
That’s a far cry from feeling dangerous, huh Baker?
Taking a look at this game, it really begins and ends with one thing. Will Baker Mayfield continue his horrific sophomore slump? And if he does, will the Buffalo defense take advantage of the opportunities Mayfield is sure to give them?
When it comes to the offensive side of the ball, Baker has been a walking turnover. With 14 giveaways on the season, the young quarterback has regressed from his promising 2018 campaign. It’s tough to win games when you have far more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (seven).
The Bills are in the middle of the pack this year with 11 takeaways, so they aren’t a ball-hawking team by any means. Where they do excel is against the pass. Ranking third in that category, Buffalo is only allowing 184 passing yards per game. Mayfield is going to have a very tough day going against this defense.
If there is one way the Browns can potentially win this game, it’s going to be on the ground. For how good Buffalo has been against the pass this season, they’ve been equally as bad against the run. Ranking 20th in the league and giving up 111 yards on the ground per game, that’s the kink in their armor that Cleveland needs to take advantage of.
For all their disappointments offensively, the one bright spot has been running back Nick Chubb. With 803 rushing yards on the season, he ranks fifth in the league. If Cleveland can get their running game going, they may be able to pull off the upset and beat the Bills.
When it comes to the Buffalo offense, they’re leaving much to be desired. Ranking 22nd in points per game and 26th in pass yards per game, their only saving grace is their run game. With 129 yards per game, the Bills may be able to run their way to victory Sunday.
And that thought becomes more and more realistic when you find out the Browns’ defense is horrendous against the run. Giving up a whopping 141 yards per game, they rank 30th on the year against opposing running backs.
While Baker Mayfield and head coach Freddie Kitchens need to win this game to prevent total anarchy in Cleveland, the odds aren’t in their favor. The Bills are, for the first time in years, putting together a complete season while winning three of their last four games. Look for that success to continue come Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
Final Score: Bills 24, Browns 13
