3 winners and 3 losers from Bills’ ugly win over Browns

These players stood out as winners and losers for the Buffalo Bills in their win over the Cleveland Browns.

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Not every win is pretty, which was evident for the Buffalo Bills in Week 16. While playing against the three-win Cleveland Browns, the Bills flirted with disaster before finally escaping with a 23-20 victory.

Cleveland deserves credit for their heart, as it kept Josh Allen uneasy throughout the day. The Browns also moved the ball well on the ground, gaining 160 yards on 31 attempts.

MORE: Josh Allen injury update as Bills' QB leaves for locker room early vs. Browns

Buffalo's ground game was also dominant, going for 164 yards and three touchdowns. It was just enough to pull out the win and now we take some time to identify who stood out as winners and losers in their 11th win of the year.

Winner: James Cook, RB

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook III scores a touchdown as Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger defends. | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

James Cook was the primary reason Buffalo walked out of Cleveland with a win on Sunday. The superstar running back had 117 yards rushing and two touchdown runs. He was the team's main force on offense as he continued to rack up yards during the best season of his career.

Loser: Michael Badgley, K

Buffalo Bills kicker Michael Badgley watches his missed extra point with holder Mitch Wishnowsky. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Injuries forced the Bills to turn to another kicker, with Michael Badgley making his debut in Week 16. While he was 1-of-1 on field goals, he did miss an extra point in the first half. Badgley also had a kickoff land short of the "landing zone," resulting in a penalty that gave Cleveland the ball at the 40.

Winner: Jordan Poyer, S

Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. is tackled by Buffalo Bills safety Jordan Poyer. | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Jordan Poyer turned back the clock with his best game of the season. He finished with 11 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and an interception. He also forced a field goal late in the game that might have saved the win.

The Browns were trailing 23-17 and facing third-and-three from the Buffalo 16. Shedeur Sanders threw a pass to Trayveon Williams, who was stuffed for a seven-yard loss by Poyer, holding the Browns to a field goal.

Loser: Dawson Knox, TE

Buffalo Bills tight end Dawson Knox runs against the Houston Texans. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

With a 23-20 lead, the Bills attempted to ice the game on fourth-and-one from the Cleveland 11. Josh Allen found tight end Dawson Knox in the end zone, but Knox was unable to haul in the pass. Knox, who had two touchdowns the prior game, finished with just one reception for 10 yards.

Winner: Greg Rousseau, DE

Buffalo Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau warms up prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Cleveland was attempting a late comeback, but Greg Rousseau had different plans. First, he forced a turnover on downs when he sacked Shedeur Sanders. When the offense failed to score and the Browns got the ball back, Rousseau again stepped up.

This time, he had a half sack as he and Jordan Poyer got to Sanders on first-and-10. Rousseau then forced an intentional grounding on the next play when he pressured Sanders again. Cleveland eventually punted, and never got the ball back.

Loser: Brandin Cooks, WR

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks | Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

For the second week in a row, Brandin Cooks had a huge drop for the Bills. This time, it was a second-and-nine play in the fourth quarter, which would have moved the offense into Cleveland territory. Instead, Josh Allen was sacked on the next play, and Buffalo had to rely on the defense to bail them out.

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