NFL: Buffalo Bills 26 Cleveland Browns 10 recap and considerations

After their game in Detroit against the Jets last monday, the Bills were back home on Sunday to host the Cleveland Browns, who were well placed in the AFC standings before this one with 7 wins and 4 losses. The first half was a disaster on offense, with the 2 teams struggles both on the running game and on the passing game. Cleveland kick a field goal in the first quarter, with Hoyer finding Josh Gordon and Miles Austin on some well designed play by the offensive coordinator, for exemple some WR screen to Gordon, who gained a total of 75 yards on 7 receptions on the afternoon. Buffalo responded well, with a good drive by Orton and by F.Jackson, the long time Bills. The big play of this drive was a nice play action to backup TE Gray, who gained 30 yards on the play to get the Bills going. Unfortunately, Orton was once again in struggle in the red zone, where he tried to find Sammy Watkins on a long slant, but the rookie out of Clemson was double covered by CB Joe Haden and by the safety J.Leonhard, who pick off the Bills QB. The next drives were a lot of 3 and out, but Hoyer, the Browns QB was pick by SS Searcy with 1:09 left in the half. This interception could result in some points for Buffalo, but Dan Carpenter field goal was blocked by Joe Haden.
Orton got the ball to start the 3rd, but the Purdue guy tried once again to find Watkins on a quick slants, and was picked by CB Joe Haden, who I think need to get in to the Pro Bowl this year. The Browns didn’t take advantage of this opportunity, and Orton drives his team well into midfield. On a big 4 down and 2, Orton escape the pressure by going to his left to find WR Woods on a big 34 yards gain to enter once again in the end zone. And this time, the former Broncos converted it, by finding Chris Hogan on a play to the right of the end zone. And the momentum changed directly, because on the next scrimmage play, RB Terrance West fumbled the ball on an outside pitch, ball who was recovered by DE Jerry Hugues who went to the end zone for a TD, making 2 TD for the Bills on a span of 10 seconds. QB Hoyer got the ball to start the 4th period, and tried to find WR Gabriel on a deep double move, but the former Michigan State was once again picked by Searcy. So, with 5 INT and 0 TD in his last 7 quarters, the former backup of Tom Brady was benched and the high talked rookie phenom out of Texas A&M, Johnny Manziel entered the game with 12:01 left in the game and a 20-3 score. « Johnny Football » drived his team very well, with a lot of play action to Gordon, Austin and TE Dray. He finished the drive by himself, running for a 10 yard TD, an ability that Hoyer hasn’t I think.
The Bills were stopped on their next drive but ran the clock well, so Manziel got the ball back with under 3 min to go, but a bad snap from the Cleveland C forced Manziel to throw the ball away. That forced a 4 down, and the 21 years old boy found Miles Austin but short of the Orange line.
Buffalo is now 7-5, the same record than the Cleveland Browns. With Pittsburgh and Baltimore also losing on sunday, the Browns remain in the mix for a postseason berth, but the staff needs to make a big decision for the next game : which QB to start ? The struggling Hoyer who was very good in the 1st part of the season or the fresh Manziel, who look no so bad yesterday. My MVP for this game goes to the entire Bills team, who after a disastrous first half reacted well and win this one with their offense and their defense.
The Bills will go to Denver next sunday, while the Browns will host Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts.

With the collaboration of Alan Guillou