‘We Couldn’t Have Done It Without Bills Mafia!’ Josh Allen on Beating Browns, 31-23: Live Game Log
A historic snowstorm that dumped six-plus feet of snow in western and northern New York from Friday through Saturday and crippled much of the infrastructure necessitated the move of Sunday's Buffalo Bills game against the Cleveland Browns.
And how did the Bills secure the 31-23 win?
“Appreciate Bills Mafia for doing what they did,” said QB Josh Allen, citing Buffalo fans shovels and snowplows and snowmobiles that helped the team move about the city and to the airport to game-site Detroit. “We couldn’t have done it without you, honestly.”
A look at how it all unfolded …
After a tumultuous week for the @BuffaloBills, Josh Allen credited his fans for Sunday’s win over Cleveland.
Instead of playing at the Bills' home at Highmark Stadium, the NFL has moved the contest indoors to Ford Field in Detroit.
The life-halting snowstorm could be a metaphor for the Bills' season, as they're on a two-game losing streak after the 33-30 overtime loss to Minnesota last week.
The slumping Bills no longer lead the AFC or even the AFC East, as they trail Miami by a half-game. Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen had two costly turnovers, including one in overtime to end the game.
"Losing sucks. It sucks this way even more. Horrendous second half," Allen said. "It comes down to my shoulders and my shoulders only. Making the right decisions, making the right throws. This one's going to suck, watching it."
The Browns have struggled all season and find themselves out of the playoff hunt in the AFC. In the 39-17 loss to Miami last week, Cleveland was held to just 10 points after a touchdown on its first drive of the game.
Can the Bills put it all back together on the "home" turf at Ford Field?
Live updates will appear here after kickoff at 1 p.m. ET...
FIRST QUARTER: Browns 7, Bills 3
The Browns begin the game with the ball.
Brissett throws short right to Chubb for 17 yards to the CLE 42 before a 3rd and 11. Brissett scrambled for 22 yards to the BUF 37.
TOUCHDOWN BROWNS: Brissett finds Amari Cooper for 25 yards to the right side of the end zone for a touchdown. The York extra point is good for a 7-0 Cleveland lead with 8:56 left in the first quarter. The scoring drive goes 75 yards in nine plays and took 5:58 off the clock.
Buffalo takes over from its own 35 and can only go three-and-out, gaining just seven yards to the BUF 42 before the Martin punt goes 47 yards to the CLE 11.
Cleveland then offers its own three-and-out gaining just five yards in the effort before punting 44 yards to the CLE 32.
Allen hits Davis to the left side for eight yards but the drive stalls there.
FIELD GOAL BILLS: The Bass 42-yard field goal is good with 3:32 left in the quarter. The scoring drive goes eight yards in four plays and took 1:44 off the clock for a 7-3 Cleveland lead.
Cleveland takes over from its own 35.
Chubb carries 26 yards to the BUF 39 on 1st and 10, then runs another 12 yards to the BUF 25 on 2nd and 8.
On 2nd and 5 from the 20, Brissett finds Cooper for 12 yards to the BUF eight-yard line
END OF THE FIRST QUARTER
SECOND QUARTER: Bills 13, Browns 10
On 3rd and Goal from the BUF 14, Brissett passes incomplete to Pharoh Brown in the end zone.
FIELD GOAL BROWNS: York's 32-yard field goal is good with 14:05 left in the quarter for a 10-3 Cleveland lead. The scoring drive goes 51 yards in nine plays and took 4:27 off the clock.
Buffalo takes over from its own 31.
On 3rd and 7 from the BUF 34, Allen is sacked for a loss of six yards.
The Martin punt goes 52 yards to the CLE 20 and an offensive holding penalty is enforced from the 20 to the CLE 10.
Brissett finds Cooper for nine yards on 1st and 10.
FUMBLE RECOVERY BILLS: On 2nd and 3 from the BUF 47, Brissett fumbles, recovered by Matt Milano at the BUF 48.
On 3rd and 10 from the BUF 48, Allen finds Knox for 11 yards to the CLE 41.
Cook runs up the middle for 16. yards to the CLE 25, then Singletary runs nine yards to the CLE 16.
CLV-M.Emerson was injured during the play.
On 3rd and 14, Allen misses Hines across the middle for a 4th down.
FIELD GOAL BILLS: Bass' 36-yard field goal is good for a 10-6 Bills lead with 4:54 left in the half. The scoring drive goes 34 yards in 11 plays and took 3:23 off the clock.
Cleveland takes over from its own 25 after the kickoff.
Brissett finds Bryant for eight yards then hits cooper for 24 yards to the BUF 45.
On 3rd and 10 from the BUF 45, Froholdt is called for a false start moving the ball back to the CLE 49. Brissett throws deep right side to Cooper who caught the ball but couldn't get both feet in bounds.
The Bojorquez punt goes 28 yards to the BUF 22 where the Browns take over with 1:54 left in the half.
Allen hits Knox on first down for nine yards, then Singletary runs up the middle for another five.
Knox catches a pass for another seven before Allen found Davis deep on the left side for 28 yards to the CLE 29.
Allen scrambles to the CLE 16 then passes short right to Davis to the CLE eight-yard line with 27 seconds left.
TOUCHDOWN BILLS: Allen finds Diggs in the back of the end zone for five yards and the touchdown. The Bass extra point is good for a 13-10 Buffalo lead with 14 seconds left in the half. The scoring drive went 78 yards in 11 plays and took 1:40 off the clock.
That marks Stefon Diggs' FIRST TARGET and thus FIRST CATCH of the game.
HALFTIME
THIRD QUARTER: Bills 22, Browns 10
Buffalo starts the half with the ball at its own 26.
The Bills move the ball down the field but the drive stalls at the CLE 38.
FIELD GOAL BILLS: The Bass 56-yard field goal is good for a 16-10 Buffalo lead with 11:46 left in the quarter. The scoring drive goes 36 yards in eight plays and took 5:18 off the clock.
Cleveland has the ball at its own 35. A neutral zone infraction on Von Miller moves the ball to the 30 for 1st and 5.
Brissett finds Peoples-Jones for five yards, then Bryant for seven, then hunt for 10 to the CLE 49 and a first down.
TURNOVER ON DOWNS to BILLS: On 4th and 1, Brissett runs up the middle for no gain. The Bills take over.
Allen passes deep middle to Davis for 17 yards. PENALTY on CLV-T.Togiai, Roughing the Passer, 15 yards, enforced at BUF 44.
Knox catches an Allen pass for 23 yards to the CLE 18, then Singletary runs up the middle for another five.
TOUCHDOWN BILLS: Singletary runs up the middle for five yards and a touchdown. The two-point conversion is no good for a 22-10 Bills advantage with 4:08 left in the quarter. The scoring drive goes 73 yards in four plays and took 1:41 off the clock.
Buffalo has scored 19 straight points.
Cleveland takes over from its own 35 with 4:08 left in the third quarter.
On the first play of the series, Brissett throws deep to Peoples-Jones but Hamlin is called for DPI at the BUF 39 for a first down Browns.
Brissett finds Njoku for 21 yards to the BUF 16 but that's where the CLE drive stalls.
MISSED FIELD GOAL BROWNS: York's 34-yard field goal is blocked and no good. The Bills take over on downs from their own 16 yard line.
Cook runs for nine, then for four then for 29 to the CLE 34.
END OF THE THIRD QUARTER
FOURTH QUARTER: Bills 31, Browns 23
FIELD GOAL BILLS: The Buffalo drive stalls at the CLE 31 and Bass is good from 49 yards with 13:20 left in the fourth quarter for a 25-10 Bills lead. The scoring drive goes 45 yards in seven plays and took 3:17 off the clock.
The Browns go three-and-out, losing seven yards on the drive. the Bojorquez punt goes 44 yards to the BUF 38, and Hines returns the kick eight yards to the BUF 36.
On first down, Singletary runs up the middle for four yards as the Bills will begin to try to burn some clock up 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Allen hits Davis for seven yards before Singletary runs for another 18 to the CLE 35.
The Bills drive stalls at the CLE 10 with a 4th and Goal.
FIELD GOAL BILLS: Bass is good from 28 for a 28-10 Buffalo lead with 6:45 left in the game. The scoring drive goes 54 yards in nine plays and took 5:08 off the clock.
Cleveland takes over at its own 35 after the touchback.
On 4th and 5 from the CLE 30, Brissett finds Bell for six yards for a first down to extend the drive.
Hunt runs for 11 yards to the BUF 48, then Brissett finds Bryant for 14 yards to the BUF 34.
TOUCHDOWN BROWNS: Brissett finds Cooper in the end zone for seven yards and a touchdown with 4:11 remaining. The two-point conversion is no good for a 28-18 Bills lead. The scoring drive goes 75 yards in nine plays and took 2:34 off the clock.
Buffalo starts from their own 42.
Singletary runs for three yards, then Allen hits Knox for 11. On first down, Singletary runs up the middle for 11 more to the CLE 17 with 4:00 left in the game.
On 3rd and 9, Allen is sacked for a five-yard loss to the CLE 21.
TWO-MINUTE WARNING
FIELD GOAL BILLS: Bass' 39-yard field goal is good for a 31-16 lead with 1:56 left in the game.
Cleveland takes over at its own 35.
Brissett finds Bryant for 12 yards then hits Cooper for 15 more. Hunt caught a pass from Brissett for 12 yards, then Brissett scrambles up the middle for six.
Brissett then hits Peoples-Jones for 20 yards to the BUF five-yard line.
TOUCHDOWN BROWNS: Brissett hits Peoples-Jones for two yards and a touchdown. The extra point is good for a 31-23 Buffalo lead with 19 seconds left. The scoring drive goes 75 yards in eight plays and took 1:37 off the clock.
The Cleveland on-side kick goes out of bounds.
Allen kneels to run out the clock.
END OF GAME
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