Tweet
Browns vs. Bills: Storylines
By Nate Ulrich
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published: November 29, 2014 - 11:22 PM | Updated: November 29, 2014 - 11:22 PM
1. With the Browns (7-4) and Bills (6-5) fighting to make the playoffs, their showdown has the feel of an elimination game. After all, the AFC has 11 teams with winning records, the most through 11 games in NFL history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Although the Browns are only a half game behind the Cincinnati Bengals (7-3-1) for first place in the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are also 7-4 and hold tiebreakers against the Browns heading into Sunday. The AFC North is the first division in NFL history to have all of its teams three games above .500 at any point in a season. So the Browns could easily win 10 games and miss the playoffs just like they did in 2007, when they went 10-6, which is why they should view each of their last five regular-season games as a must-win.
2. There is no love lost between Bills players and fans and Browns strong safety Donte Whitner, who the Bills drafted eighth overall in 2006. This past summer, Whitner snapped at Bills rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins on Twitter, then engaged in a war of words with Buffalo fans along with former Bills linebacker Darryl Talley and his wife. The feud prompted Bills running back Fred Jackson to tell Buffalo reporters Wednesday he “can’t respect” Whitner because he’s “being an idiot.” Whitner, meanwhile, seemed to relish the thought of getting under the Bills’ skin. “If they’re over there talking about this, maybe we are in their heads,” Whitner said. “Maybe I’m in their head.” Either way, Whitner knows he won’t have many friends at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
3. Browns coach Mike Pettine served as the Bills’ defensive coordinator last season, so he’ll also return to his old stomping grounds. After the Browns hired Pettine on Jan. 23, he brought four defensive assistants from the Bills’ coaching staff to Cleveland: defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil, linebackers coach Chuck Driesbach, assistant linebackers coach Brian Fleury and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver. So far, Pettine has been impressive as a rookie NFL head coach. His 7-4 record is the fourth-best start by a Browns coach in his first 11 NFL games. Paul Brown went 9-2 in 1950, Blanton Collier 8-2-1 in 1964 and Bud Carson 7-3-1 in 1989.
4. Pettine has said the Browns would have drafted Watkins fourth overall on May 8 if the franchise hadn’t made a blockbuster deal with the Bills instead. The Bills sent the Browns their first- and fourth-round picks in 2015 to move up from ninth overall to draft Watkins, a former standout at Clemson. Watkins said he doesn’t hold a grudge against the Browns for not selecting him. “Not at all. I’m in a great situation, on a great team, a great organization,” he said. “I wish the best for them, but I’m in the best situation.”
5. The Bills will return to Ralph Wilson Stadium after being displaced last week because 6 feet of snow buried Orchard Park, N.Y. Their home game scheduled for last weekend against the New York Jets was moved to Monday night and relocated to Ford Field in Detroit. The Bills overcame the obstacle and rolled past the Jets 38-3. Now they’re eager to face the Browns at home in front of fans who endured treacherous conditions created by the record snowfall. “We had to deal with that adversity, and we dealt with it,” Bills coach Doug Marrone said. “We went out there and played well. We need to continue to play well, but make no mistake about, it’s not like the adversity that the people here had.”
By Nate Ulrich
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published: November 29, 2014 - 11:22 PM | Updated: November 29, 2014 - 11:22 PM
1. With the Browns (7-4) and Bills (6-5) fighting to make the playoffs, their showdown has the feel of an elimination game. After all, the AFC has 11 teams with winning records, the most through 11 games in NFL history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Although the Browns are only a half game behind the Cincinnati Bengals (7-3-1) for first place in the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are also 7-4 and hold tiebreakers against the Browns heading into Sunday. The AFC North is the first division in NFL history to have all of its teams three games above .500 at any point in a season. So the Browns could easily win 10 games and miss the playoffs just like they did in 2007, when they went 10-6, which is why they should view each of their last five regular-season games as a must-win.
2. There is no love lost between Bills players and fans and Browns strong safety Donte Whitner, who the Bills drafted eighth overall in 2006. This past summer, Whitner snapped at Bills rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins on Twitter, then engaged in a war of words with Buffalo fans along with former Bills linebacker Darryl Talley and his wife. The feud prompted Bills running back Fred Jackson to tell Buffalo reporters Wednesday he “can’t respect” Whitner because he’s “being an idiot.” Whitner, meanwhile, seemed to relish the thought of getting under the Bills’ skin. “If they’re over there talking about this, maybe we are in their heads,” Whitner said. “Maybe I’m in their head.” Either way, Whitner knows he won’t have many friends at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
3. Browns coach Mike Pettine served as the Bills’ defensive coordinator last season, so he’ll also return to his old stomping grounds. After the Browns hired Pettine on Jan. 23, he brought four defensive assistants from the Bills’ coaching staff to Cleveland: defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil, linebackers coach Chuck Driesbach, assistant linebackers coach Brian Fleury and defensive line coach Anthony Weaver. So far, Pettine has been impressive as a rookie NFL head coach. His 7-4 record is the fourth-best start by a Browns coach in his first 11 NFL games. Paul Brown went 9-2 in 1950, Blanton Collier 8-2-1 in 1964 and Bud Carson 7-3-1 in 1989.
4. Pettine has said the Browns would have drafted Watkins fourth overall on May 8 if the franchise hadn’t made a blockbuster deal with the Bills instead. The Bills sent the Browns their first- and fourth-round picks in 2015 to move up from ninth overall to draft Watkins, a former standout at Clemson. Watkins said he doesn’t hold a grudge against the Browns for not selecting him. “Not at all. I’m in a great situation, on a great team, a great organization,” he said. “I wish the best for them, but I’m in the best situation.”
5. The Bills will return to Ralph Wilson Stadium after being displaced last week because 6 feet of snow buried Orchard Park, N.Y. Their home game scheduled for last weekend against the New York Jets was moved to Monday night and relocated to Ford Field in Detroit. The Bills overcame the obstacle and rolled past the Jets 38-3. Now they’re eager to face the Browns at home in front of fans who endured treacherous conditions created by the record snowfall. “We had to deal with that adversity, and we dealt with it,” Bills coach Doug Marrone said. “We went out there and played well. We need to continue to play well, but make no mistake about, it’s not like the adversity that the people here had.”
Comment