This Sunday, not a whole lot of the country will have the pleasure of watching the Cleveland Browns take on the Buffalo Bills. I'm sure part of the reason for that is that neither team is projected to make the postseason, especially the Bills, who are already eliminated from contention. Another part of the reason has to be the fact that these two teams played in one of the worst games ever last season.
With that said, it seems like Cleveland has had Buffalo's number as of late, whether the games have been "ugly" due to weather conditions or poor play offensively...
This weekend's game might be closest to the 2007 contest when it comes to weather conditions. I'm not getting my hopes up too much, but deep down inside I am rooting to see another snow bowl between these two teams.
In terms of talent and the way the teams are playing, the Browns are favored to come away with a victory. There is really only one thing the Browns need to do against Buffalo, regardless of the weather conditions: run the football with Peyton Hillis.
Buffalo gives up an average of 170.9 yards rushing per game. That is good for 32nd in the NFL by far, with the next worst team, the Denver Broncos, giving up a whole 25 yards less on average per game. In one week, a difference that wide wouldn't be such a big deal. When that type of range exists in Week 14 though, it is clear that the Bills cannot stop the run whatsoever. The Bills deserve credit for trying hard and being a tough team, but their lack of a run defense is the biggest reason they are 2-10 right now. Hillis also needs just 38 yards to crack 1,000 rushing yards for the season.
On offense, Buffalo has some potent weapons in QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, RB Fred Jackson, and WR Steve Johnson. Since Trent Edwards was released, the Bills actually look like they can hang with another team in a shootout if necessary. The key to taming Buffalo's offense is to simply keep them off the field and then force Fitzpatrick to try to hurry the ball down the field when his team is behind. Fitzpatrick likes to go for the deep ball to Johnson, something the Browns, particularly Joe Haden, has been defending well.
Buffalo's offense might not have a chance to get going this Sunday though due to all of the injuries and shuffling they have on the offensive line this week. Can you imagine how much fun Shaun Rogers is going to have pass rushing against those guys? As the article notes too, the injuries could take away some of the lanes Jackson has been getting, making the Bills too one-dimensional.
Here's one last nugget from the Akron Beacon Journal, where Dawson tells how he prepares for the weather:
Some guys layer and stock up on hand warmers, and others give in to their youthful side and go out and play. But Dawson prepares for snow games with weatherchannel.com.
''I've got it on my phone,'' he said. ''I've already checked it four times today. That's part of my preparation.''
0 recs | 118 comments
Oh…I thought Christmas was the 25th. I bet Rogers is licking his chops right now.
Andrew Tolliver - December 9, 2010
Peyton cracks at least 1100 during this game. Calling it.
SpecialBrownie - December 9, 2010
Thats all? not 1200?
J. W. - December 9, 2010
to get at least 1200, he would have to get more yards in a game than Jim Brown ever did.
bross09 - December 9, 2010
Like Jerome Harrison did last year?
woodsmeister - December 9, 2010
yeah…i don’t think thats happening again for someone in a browns uni…at least not for a while
bross09 - December 9, 2010
Sorry, we don’t rate defenses on yards allowed. Hillis won’t have any special advantage here.
elsandito - December 9, 2010
Care to rank the Bills defense a different way that magically makes them look like a top-15 run stopping unit?
rufio - December 10, 2010
tackles per RB played?
sleepy042 - December 10, 2010
missed tackles per RB played?
Kimble_79 - December 10, 2010
It figures that I get a bye in fantasy the week Hillis faces Buffalo.
golanbatrac - December 9, 2010
You get a bye week! Count your blessings you greedy sob!
Simmsinns - December 9, 2010
that sucks
Kimble_79 - December 9, 2010
Right here with you. Happy to have the bye – but wanted Hillis to crush it for my points.
browndawgbacker - December 9, 2010
Lets hope special teams don’t have to be forced to win it this time around.
Simmsinns - December 9, 2010
I have no clue who those two people in the picture are… did they contribute ever?
SpecialBrownie - December 9, 2010
Zastudil won us a few games.
notthatnoise - December 9, 2010
Uh… who?
SpecialBrownie - December 9, 2010
the guy on the right in the picture.
notthatnoise - December 9, 2010
…Still not clicking.
SpecialBrownie - December 9, 2010
Our Pro Bowl punter before Hodges and man with a cult-like following on DBN because he was, probably, the best player on our team for a few years.
DisplacedBuckeye - December 9, 2010
And on a team know for three-and-out offense, he got a lot of work.
JustBob - December 9, 2010
Okay, I’m just going to go ahead and give away the joke I was trying to do. I was acting like I just completely forgot about them because their replacements have done so well.
SpecialBrownie - December 9, 2010
Dawson was not Cundiff’s replacement.
TheDriveStillHurts - December 9, 2010
awesome
Villeslgr - December 10, 2010
I meant Zastudil and my Jamal Lewis joke below. Not Cundiff, I just honestly forgot about him.
SpecialBrownie - December 10, 2010
What was the official reason for Romeo “pissed off looking” after a touchdown run?
tribe71 - December 9, 2010
during harrison’s run, someone from the booth called down and said the concession stands ran out of hot dogs.
Dawg Nuts - December 9, 2010
I think the cold froze up his underwear into a semi – permanent wedgie.
SpecialBrownie - December 9, 2010
This.
Andrew Tolliver - December 9, 2010
The 2007 game is one of my favorite sports memories ever. The Browns were playoff contenders, it was a must win game, the place was packed, and it snowed so much the refs couldn’t place the ball right on the field sometimes b/c they couldn’t see the yard lines. My gloves froze solid. I have no idea how dawson kicked those field goals. I wish I could be at this one.
iwearmocs - December 9, 2010
That’s pretty awesome. I love football weather!
Simmsinns - December 9, 2010
Jamal Lewis also had a great game for us that day.
TheDriveStillHurts - December 9, 2010
ah, memories!
notthatnoise - December 9, 2010
…Who is this Jamal Lewis you speak of?
SpecialBrownie - December 9, 2010
I was also there, and that was probably one of the happiest sports trip of my life. I was told that I should bring a blanket but thought it would be annoying to carry it to the stadium. That was a bit of a mistake as my pants were frozen solid by the second quarter.
Adrock2099 - December 9, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cUNNKzj_Nc
I was at a freezing game! I was at a freezing game!!
Kimble_79 - December 9, 2010
I’m sure it looked like a tater tot the second I stepped out of the car.
Adrock2099 - December 9, 2010
I wasn’t able to return home to CANADA beacause the weather was so bad. Oh well, had to drink at the Winking Lizard and watch Westbrook intentionally fall down short of the goal line to give my fantasy team a win. All in all a great day
Brown's Jays - December 10, 2010
I have mixed emotions on this. I really want the Browns to destroy Buffalo, especially Hillis. However, Husker Hounds has Hillis playing against me this week. So I’m hoping Hillis gets 70-80yds and Delhomme throws a few TD’s to win the game.
Kimble_79 - December 9, 2010
Like you said, you’re in anyway (The Brown Note isn’t going to outscore you by 50). I can’t believe you’d throw Hillis under the bus like that. Have you no soul?!?
Simmsinns - December 9, 2010
THIS is why I could never play fantasy. Unless I have an all-Cleveland team I would be splitting my allegiance each game. How do you guys do it???
Spidey - December 9, 2010 via mobile
i usually have one person playing cleveland every week or so and i just dont start him. This week i have Steve Johnson. Its dumb but i cant root against Cleveland, Johnson=Benched.
danimal643 - December 9, 2010
I learned a long time ago in FF and in line…Keep your heart and your wallet separate. I love my Browns, but I have no qualms about starting anybody against them in FF when my Greens are on the line.
CW78 - December 9, 2010
*line = life
CW78 - December 9, 2010
This.
I watch the Browns and just don’t think about any of the fantasy implications. I worry about fantasy AFTER the Browns game.
jerehall - December 9, 2010
I have Steve Johnson AND Fred Jackson. Jackson might put up points, but I think johnson is a sit anyways b/c of the weather.
bross09 - December 9, 2010
I would rather play StuckInPA in week 16, not 15. That’s my reasoning.
Also, my soul was sold the minute my defense was chosen as Pittsburgh. To completely shore up the fact that its gone, I also have Derrick Mason on my team.
Kimble_79 - December 9, 2010
I’m waiting for my unlucky week to strike my first game of the playoffs.
StuckInPa - December 9, 2010
Dude. Cleveland is always over fantasy, seriously? If Hillis puts up like 40 points and you get demolished, that means he ran for like 200 yards and a few TDs! That’s a win anyday in my book.
SpecialBrownie - December 9, 2010
Simple solution…
Hillis runs for 40 yards down to the 1 yard line, calls for a breather. Next play, Mike Bell 1 yard TD run.
Hillis runs for 36 yards down to the 2 yard line, calls for a breather. Next play, Mike Bell 2 yard TD run.
Hillis runs for 26 yards down to the 1 yard line, calls for a breather. Next play, Mike Bell stopped for no gain. Next play, Hillis fumbles as he stretches for the goal line and Buffalo recovers, but on the return, Buffalo fumbles and Delhomme picks it up. Delhomme then throws a touchdown. Hillis gets -2 for the fumble.
Chris Pokorny - December 9, 2010
Get real you fool, Hillis isn’t going to suck!
SpecialBrownie - December 9, 2010
HA!
Kimble_79 - December 9, 2010
Brilliant.
Andrew Tolliver - December 9, 2010
well, that would work
Kimble_79 - December 9, 2010
Simmsinns - December 9, 2010
being unable to execute this plan to perfection, and therefore costing josh mcdaniels a fantasy game last year, is what got him shipped out of denver…
DontCallMeJoey - December 9, 2010
That and the wife porkin’.
golanbatrac - December 9, 2010
Haha, sticking to your guns on that one, I see.
Simmsinns - December 9, 2010
Bell gains 2 yards?
JustBob - December 9, 2010
When hell freezes over?
Simmsinns - December 9, 2010
Flag, Flag, Flag! If you just cursed me I will find you! ;-p
doggrad87 - December 9, 2010
SCAB!!!!!!
Brownie's Year - December 9, 2010
I can’t wait to watch these remaining games at home without being in the library or having to do homework during/right after.
emily522 - December 9, 2010
Thanks to Direct Tv™ and it’s Sunday Ticket™, of course.
SpecialBrownie - December 9, 2010
Sounds like someone needs to work on priorities – football, beer, something else, library, something else, homework.
browndawgbacker - December 9, 2010
I believe you forgot to include GETTIN LAAAAIIIDD BRO! and SPRING BREAK WOOOOOO in that list.
Adrock2099 - December 9, 2010
there in there as “something else”
notthatnoise - December 9, 2010
And boom goes the dynamite.
SpecialBrownie - December 9, 2010
as to chris’s “favored to win the game” comment … the bills are laying a point in vegas, for what it’s worth.
DontCallMeJoey - December 9, 2010
Surprising. I’d guess we’d be -2.5.
TheDriveStillHurts - December 9, 2010
In Buffalo’s last 28 games they have given up 150 yds rushing 15 times (200 yds 9 times). In those 15 games they have averaged 217 ypg rushing allowed with a 5.3 ypc. They have held a team to under 100 yds rushing just 5 times.
sleepy042 - December 9, 2010
PS they have gone thru 7 different LB’s this year due to injuries
sleepy042 - December 9, 2010
this lines up so perfectly for a hillis domination that i’m almost starting to get worried.
DontCallMeJoey - December 9, 2010
15 carries for 30 yards, two fumbles, one lost.Just call me the UNlicensed Pessimist!
Adrock2099 - December 9, 2010
again, I Flag you all for these words you are speaking.
doggrad87 - December 9, 2010
I have Hillis in my family’s fantasy league, and I’m practically giddy with excitement. He was my last draft pick, and he’s been amazing! Although this does seem too perfect for Hillis, so that is starting to creep into the back of my mind too.
Legoman0721 - December 9, 2010 via mobile
That’s sweet, you have a family fantasy league.
Villeslgr - December 9, 2010
that’s sweet that someone actually drafted Hillis this year.
he was likely a wise waiver wire grab in 90% of leagues.
seriously—-Browns D this week.
discoinferno083 - December 9, 2010
if I might brag, I had a feeling and I took him (late) in all three of my leagues. he has paid off nicely. he’s also started every week for me.
doggrad87 - December 9, 2010
No kidding. I followed DBN way too much in the pre-season not to realize Hillis was going to factor into this offense one way or another.
Thanks for the great coverage DBN! Peyton Hillis is one of two reasons my fantasy team is still afloat.
Monsters of the Midway - December 11, 2010
rec dat!
doggrad87 - December 11, 2010
word.
discoinferno083 - December 11, 2010
I think I might just go root for Buffalo this week. To have snow, that is.
Are there any stats on Delhomme playing in horrible weather?
Brownie's Year - December 9, 2010
It depends on how you define horrible. He has only played in 2 games in his career that I could find where it snowed. In those games, he combined for 23 of 36 for 362 yards and a 97 QB rating. While this is a SSS, it seems like he is good at generally avoiding turnovers when it is cold out. He only passed about 18 times in those games so he has never been called upon to carry the load, but he can manage a snowy game.
If you are talking about all games where the weather was “bad” (where it was around freezing point and was at least under 30 with wind chill), he has played in 8. In these 8, he is 139 of 218 for 1638 yards with 9 TDs and 6 INTs. Compared to how he normally performed over his career, he passed less (less completions, less yards, lower y/c so he wasn’t stretching the field as much, and a lower TD%) but he was more efficient (higher comp %, lower INT %, slightly higher y/a) and has an 88 QB rating.
If it snows, it will be hard to predict how he will do. He has done fairly well managing cold weather games. However, 2 games where he averaged a hard to equal 10.5 y/a in a small sample size is not enough to conclusively say. If it will just be really really cold, i think we should be fine (cold and windy)
bross09 - December 9, 2010
My prediction is that Jake will be better than Fitz and it will contribute to a Browns victory.
realmccoy - December 10, 2010
Cool dude, thanks. It sounds like he uses his head and is conservative in these situations.
Brownie's Year - December 10, 2010
yeah, we shouldn’t worry TOO much.
bross09 - December 10, 2010
Chris, you forgot to mention Phil Savage’s back-and-forth emails with a fan that gave us the best way ever to tell someone to eff off. Definitely part of the legacy of this series.
rufio - December 10, 2010
John Harbaugh pulled a “F*ck you, Go root for Buffalo” on a fan who called into his radio show, basically. Learned it from Phil.
SpecialBrownie - December 10, 2010
First of all, we don´t deserve to ride Peyton Hillis´s coattails into certain victory.
mooncamping - December 10, 2010
Yeah, he can’t carry all of us like Joe Thomas can.
Brownie's Year - December 10, 2010
that guy has massive coattails.
notthatnoise - December 10, 2010
This game will feature two of the top three rated centers from the 2009 draft, Eric Wood and Alex Mack. Max Unger was the other one. Alex Mack and Eric Wood cracked round one, the first centers to accomplish that since the early 90´s I think. The Bills took Eric Wood, the second ranked center, at their allotted slot of 28, in round 1. Max Unger, the top rated center, slipped all the way to slot 49, in round 2. Alex Mack, as we all know, went at slot 21, first round, after we spectacularly traded down from slot number 5, three times! First with the Jets to slot 17, then with the Bucs to slot 17, and finally with Philadelphia to slot 19. Players taken by these teams at these slots: 5. Jets/Marc Sanchez. 17. Bucs/Josh Freeman. 19. Eagles/Jeremy Maclin…all three of these teams have a chance at the playoffs this year, in no small part due to these players. Alex Mack´s services are worth 12.2 million dollars for five years. Eric Wood´s sevices are worth 9.335 million dollars for five years. Eric Wood served at guard for 10 games in 2009, and 12 games in 2010, after an injury he will be promoted to center for this game. Alex Mack has been consistent at center for 16 games last year and 14 this year. These guys are doing alright, I´d say.
Now, what happened to the top rated center of the 2009 draft, Max Unger? He became the first offensive lineman since 1992 to start as a rookie on the Seattle Seahawks, he played the first 13 games at offensive guard, and the final 3 games at center. This year he played one game, and has been on injured reserve since injuring his toe. In comparison, he is getting a measly 3.7 million dollars for four years, as compensation for dropping into the middle of round 2.
What´s at stake this week is a wild card for the Cleveland Browns, if they make it to 9-7. It would seem like low stakes, considering the odds for beating our final four opponents, even if the Bills and Bengals at 2-10 a piece at this point don´t need to win, and you might suspect that the Ravens at 8-4 and Steelers at 9-3 seem to have the playoffs locked up, might be able to afford a loss.
What am I saying? To tell you the truth, I´m having a hard time wrapping my mind around it myself.
But our loddy-doddy attitude, and Alex Mack, as the third rated center in 2009, at slot 21 lotting three playoff teams top performers, at the exorbitant sum of 12.2 million dollars for five years, tells me this needs to be extremely high stakes, so we wake up and smell the coffee.
mooncamping - December 10, 2010
why would Alex Mack have been rated as a center?
Dawg Nuts - December 10, 2010
Because he got he loddy doddy trophy, when we were looking for academics over athletics in 2009?
mooncamping - December 10, 2010
Ah yes, the oh’so coveted Loddy Doddy Trophy.
Simmsinns - December 10, 2010
Here´s another comparison:
Shaun Rogers
http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_contract.aspx?sport=nfl&id=1819
http://www.nfl.com/players/shaunrogers/profile?id=ROG535048
Torrell Troop
http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_contract.aspx?sport=NFL&id=5878
http://www.nfl.com/players/torelltroup/profile?id=TRO525485
Both could be Pro Bowlers, both are relegated to non starting duties. Anyways, who´s benching more money? And who is benching more potential?
…Alex Mack versus Eric Wood. No Shaun Rogers versus no Torrell Troop.
Remember B.J. Raji, we went to great lengths to avoid him. Remember Torrell Troop, I think we were involved in pushing him into round 2, and probably a few others such as Jimmy Clausen. So what do we have instead of a Pro Bowl line or a round one talent QB? Joe Haden can beat Steve Johnson, is what we have supposedly. Even the Carolina Panthers may not hang onto Jimmy Clausen, we have written colaboration against his talent level. Abe Elam´s job at risk once again, by merit of Brodney Pool to the Eagles, and a supposedly shoddy Sabby Piscatelli from the Bucs to continue to push T.J. Ward “to knock people´s heads off”, while Eric Wright may finally go to the sidelines, because he´s a sissy, is what we have.
Ect…What´s the word around Cleveland regarding our entitlement towards such a win over the Bills at this point? The wishing well, says no.
mooncamping - December 10, 2010
No, to deserving to win that is. But a huge yes, stakes wise, to needing to win, is what the word around Cleveland should lot.
mooncamping - December 10, 2010
For the lazy bunch, here are the depth charts for this game from NFL.com:
Buffalo Bills
http://www.nfl.com/teams/buffalobills/depthchart?team=BUF
Cleveland Browns
http://www.nfl.com/teams/clevelandbrowns/depthchart?team=CLE
mooncamping - December 10, 2010
holy crap … this mooncamping monologue has to be one of the longest uninterrupted strings of nonsense ever to be posted on the internet.
DontCallMeJoey - December 10, 2010
I have my work cut out for me.
elsandito - December 10, 2010
Awesome.
TheDriveStillHurts - December 10, 2010
Well, at least he’s telling us the truth.
burntorangeandbrown - December 10, 2010
i chuckled.
discoinferno083 - December 11, 2010
Max Unger and Eric Wood are terrible.
rufio - December 10, 2010
If that be true, there be demons waiting to reward thee. Maybe you picked the right one for a change, and did the work required.
mooncamping - December 11, 2010
This comment receives the MIDAS seal of approval.
RelapsingDawgCatcher - December 11, 2010
Man lets hope Hillis demolishes the bills, I’m counting on him to win my huge fantasy matchup this week with massive playoff implications. and my opponent has greg jennings and Brandon Lloyd.
jaws. - December 10, 2010
I’m done hearing about fantasy football.
Brownie's Year - December 10, 2010
My biggest concern with this game is that the Browns seem to have a tendency for reversing trends, and not always in a good way. For instance, when they last played Green Bay there was a lot of talk about how much Rodgers was getting sacked, yet the Browns weren’t able to lay a hand on him. So, while I’m hoping for a big day for Hillis against what is supposed to be a poor run defense, I won’t be entirely shocked if he gets held to 80 yds.
JustBob - December 11, 2010
…that was also in the preseason…and Green Bay’s line isn’t too bad this year.
plus it was the PRESEASON and we couldn’t get pressure on anybody.
bross09 - December 11, 2010
i think he’s referring to last year’s regular season game.
Rodgers had been sacked a league-leading amount of times. Don’t recall the number, but it was bad.
We never even got his jersey dirty.
I was at that game, and SO entirely pissed at our lack of pass-rush whatsoever.
discoinferno083 - December 11, 2010
I am assume you are talking to me. you have to remember that the Packers game, the team was playing flat out awful in every facet. If you project our sacks up until that point, we would be bottom 5 in the league in sacks (if you project those first 6-7 games over a 16 game season). The pass rush finished in the top 10. I think anything that compares these browns to the 2009 browns of the first 8-9 games is extremely unfair.
I also don’t understand the whole tendency thing when there is only one example really…and that example is not even a particularly great one.
bross09 - December 11, 2010
I know what you are talking about.
I am counting on the Bills horrendous LB corp to help Hillis.
Bernie19Kosar - December 12, 2010
I’m worried that Hillis / Mack / Delhomme put the ball on the ground several times tomorrow. If you remember back to the preseason and the first of the season, we were having all kinds of trouble holding on to the ball in the rain. Haven’t really seen any wet weather since the Tampa game. Hard to know if they’ve cleaned that up or not.
golanbatrac - December 11, 2010
A valid concern I hadn’t considered. I expect Jake to throw his typical pick six, but I have a feeling this will be a closer game than it should be and that there won’t be enough slack to cover too many mistakes on our part….
RelapsingDawgCatcher - December 12, 2010
Oh man, I hope not.
Simmsinns - December 12, 2010
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Dawgs By Nature to post a comment.