Browns revive season with win over Buffalo

CLEVELAND — Baker Mayfield threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Rashard Higgins with 1:44 left as the Cleveland Browns snapped a four-game losing streak — and took some pressure off of first-year coach Freddie Kitchens — with a 19-16 win on Sunday over the Buffalo Bills.

The Browns (3-6) rallied for a win that kept their season from completely collapsing. Cleveland survived more problems in the red zone, but sealed the much-needed win when Buffalo kicker Stephen Hauschka’s 53-yard field-goal attempt was short with 22 seconds left. Earlier, Hauschka missed a 34-yarder.

Quarterback Josh Allen had two touchdown runs for the Bills (6-3), who were off to their best start since 1993.

Mayfield finally delivered a clutch drive after Allen’s 1-yard sneak put the Bills ahead 16-12. On second-and-goal, he threaded his TD pass to an open Higgins, who had been suspiciously missing from Cleveland’s game plan this season after being one of Mayfield’s favourite targets last season. It was Higgins’ only catch. Mayfield had his second straight solid game, completing 26 of 38 passes for 238 yards and two TDs. He didn’t throw an interception for the second week in a row.

However, Cleveland struggled again to complete drives as the Bills stopped them on 12 plays inside the 3-yard line, holding Cleveland to three points.

Browns running back Kareem Hunt made his debut for Cleveland and picked up 74 combined yards.

The 24-year-old was eligible after completing an eight-game National Football League suspension for two violent acts, including shoving and kicking a woman while he played for Kansas City.

Nick Chubb rushed for 116 yards on 20 carries for the Browns, and Jarvis Landry had nine catches for 97 yards and made a crucial catch on Cleveland’s game-winning drive.

The Bills’ defence tied it 9-9 early in the third as linebacker Tremaine Edmunds sacked Mayfield in the end zone for a safety. The Browns were in an empty backfield and didn’t account for blocking Edmunds, who came in untouched off the left side and quickly wrapped up Mayfield.

Buffalo’s defence stopped the Browns on eight straight plays at the 1 — the equivalent of two goal-line stands — in the first quarter. The Bills stuffed Chubb on five carries, and Buffalo overcame a pair of pass interference calls in the end zone while keeping the Browns out of the end zone and off the scoreboard.

Allen’s 10-yard quarterback draw — his fifth rushing TD this season — gave the Bills a 7-6 lead in the second quarter.

The Browns again got deep in Buffalo territory but were denied on three plays from the 3-yard-line. Kitchens decide to go for it on fourth down, but then changed his mind.

Callaway benched

The Browns sat No. 3 wide receiver Antonio Callaway, who had played in all four games since returning from a fourgame drug suspension to start the season. Callaway had a big drop in his first game back and hasn’t been as consistent as the Browns had hoped.

Callaway’s absence cleared the way for Higgins, who made his one catch count.

Up next

Bills: At Miami on Sunday. Browns: Host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday.