Bills 13, Browns 6
An early goal-line stand and a touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick was all the Buffalo Bills needed in a 13-6 win over the visiting Cleveland Browns on Sunday.
Cleveland took the opening possession and marched to the Buffalo 1-yard line. But the Buffalo defense stiffened at the goal line and the Browns had to settle for a 19-yard field by Phil Dawson.
The Bills answered with a 14-play, 89-yard drive capped by the game’s only touchdown in the second quarter. Fitzpatrick found a diving David Nelson in the end zone from 11 yards out to give Buffalo a 7-3 lead and the Bills never trailed again.
Both teams added field goals in the second quarter to give Buffalo a 10-6 lead at the half.
Rian Lindell capped a short drive with a 19-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter to increase Buffalo’s lead to 13-6. It was the only scoring in the second half.
Cleveland’s Peyton Hillis gained 51 of his 108 yards on the Browns’ first drive but was stopped short of the end zone on a pair of carries, forcing Cleveland to settle for the field goal. Hillis fumbled three times in the game, losing one.
Fred Jackson paced Buffalo (3-10) with 112 yards rushing on 29 carries. Fitzpatrick completed 14 of 23 passes for 142 yards.
The Bills held the Browns (5-8) to 187 total yards.