Josh Allen has accounted for 37 touchdowns as the Bills stalk their sixth division title and seventh consecutive playoff appearance. (Buffalo Bills)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns and NFL analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Browns v. Buffalo Bills
Sunday, 1 p.m., in Huntington Bank Field
Record: 10-4.
Last game: Defeated New England Patriots, 35-31, December 14, in Foxborough, MA.
Coach: Sean McDermott, 96-49, ninth year.
Series record: Browns lead, 13-10 (counting postseason).
Last meeting: Bills won, 31-23, November 20, 2022, in Detroit, MI.
League rankings: Offense is third overall (first rushing, 13th passing), defense is 12th overall (30th rushing, second passing), and turnover differential is zero.
Things to watch
1. One game behind the Patriots after splitting the season series, the Bill have to sweep their remaining games (Browns, Eagles, Jets) and hope the Patriots lose one (Ravens, Jets, Dolphins). Otherwise, Buffalo’s streak of AFC East titles would end at five. One more victory clinches a sixth consecutive playoff appearance for the Bills.
2. Josh Allen doesn’t have the gaudy statistics of his 2024 MVP season, but his value to the franchise was never more apparent than this year. Allen has executed epic comebacks of 15 points against the Ravens, 10 points against the Bengals, and 21 points against the Patriots. He has thrown for 25 touchdowns and run for 12.
3. With no wide receivers of consequence – slot receiver Khalil Shakir leads with 62 receptions for 650 yards and 4 touchdowns -- offensive coordinator Joe Brady has morphed the offense toward running back James Cook (1,415 rushing yards and 10 TD, 31 receptions and 2 TD), and tight ends Dalton Kincaid (36, 523, 5) and Dawson Knox (28, 253, 3).
4. Despite prioritizing defense in the offseason, the bane of the Bills has been their run defense. Opponents average 143.1 yards on the ground. Four opponents have run for more than 200 yards against the Bills. Patriots rookie TreyVeon Henderson hit them for 148 yards on the ground, including TD runs of 52 and 65 yards.
5. Backup running back Ray Davis leads the NFL with a 32.4-yard kickoff return average. He has a 97-yard return for a touchdown. He did it on his 26th birthday
Did you know … ?
1. The big question haunting Josh Allen when he entered the 2018 draft after two full seasons at Wyoming was his career low completion percentage of 56.2. In his eighth NFL season, Allen’s pro career mark is 64.0. His 70% accuracy this season marks a career high.
2. Allen was sacked eight times by the Texans, but averages two sacks taken in 13 other games.
3. In their five division championship seasons, the Bills were eliminated in the postseason four times by Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes and once by Cincinnati and Joe Barrow. Neither made the AFC playoff field this season.
4. The Bills have outscored opponents in the second half and overtime by a league-high 116 points. Next-best is the Rams at plus-74.
5. Kyle Shurmur, son of former Browns head coach Pat Shurmur, is an offensive quality control coach with the Bills.
Small world: Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor held the same job with the Browns from 2011-17 … defensive coordinator Bobby Babich was assistant defensive backs coach with Browns from 2013-15 … wide receivers coach Adam Henry had the same job with the Browns in 2018-19 … linebackers coach Al Holcomb had the same job with the Browns in 2019 … safety Jordan Poyer played for the Browns from 2013-16 … defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi played for the Browns from 2022-24.