Bills/Browns: Final Predictions with Dawgs By Nature

by Brian Galliford on Oct 10, 2009 2:00 PM EDT in Buffalo Bills News

You know the drill - each Saturday, we sit down with the blogger of the Buffalo Bills' weekly opposition to make final predictions on the eve of game day. I'm not particularly enthused to report that through four weeks, I'm a clean 4-0 picking Bills games (though I was admittedly far too harsh on them in my Week 1 prediction, and perhaps a bit too generous in Weeks 3 and 4).

Chris Pokorny from Dawgs By Nature, SB Nation's Cleveland Browns blog, joins us this afternoon to make his final prediction on tommorrow's Bills/Browns matchup. Mine is after the jump as well, and yours are welcome in the comments section.

Pokorny's prediction? Right here.

I'm playing the momentum game here. The Bills have been blown out the past two weeks, while the Browns finally looked like a real football team under Derek Anderson. The last time the Browns won a game was last season at Ralph Wilson Stadium, and we also beat the Bills two seasons ago in the snow-bowl. Browns win a close game. Browns 20, Bills 17

I've only picked the Bills to win once this season. Today, I'm making it No. 2 - even though that terrifies me. I've got a perfect record on the line here, folks!

I'm going with Buffalo. I'm not picking my own team because I'm confident they'll rebound, either; on the contrary, my confidence level in their ability to play winning football right now is quite low. I'm picking Buffalo because they're easily the more desperate football team - jobs are on the line right now - and they're at home. That's it. If they continue to play mistake-prone football, Cleveland has a very strong chance of beating the Bills for a third straight season. Bills 26, Browns 21

Your predictions are, as usual, welcome and encouraged in the comments section. Go!

Tweet Comment 45 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I predict Bills win a snoozefest 13-6 with 7 coming from the D.

most of my posts get deleted :(

by dzil on Oct 10, 2009 2:15 PM EDT reply actions

Home Field Advantage.

WE are 1-1 at home. Need to win the games we are suppose to and this is one of them. Winning games at home is equally important. There is a Beast loose in Buffalo this week and his companion will be to much for the Browns to handle. Trent will have a great day managing the game and getting T.O and Evans involved but Lynch and Jackson will be to much for the Browns to handle. Lynch puts smiles on everyones faces. Bills, 34-26.

Excuses are a sign of weakness!!!!!!

by VanScottM on Oct 10, 2009 2:16 PM EDT reply actions

I predict a close game. Recently when I go to a game it comes down to a last second FG; Broncos game two years ago, MNF against the Cowboys, Raiders game last year. This year I expect it to be a Rian Lindell FG with no time on the clock that gives the Bills a 20-17 victory or something.

Playing Realistic Optimist at Buffalo Rumblings since 2008. Ignoring the grumblings on Rumblings.

by MattRichWarren on Oct 10, 2009 2:30 PM EDT reply actions

We will run up close to 400 yds total offense in this one.

We will give up about 110-140 yds on the ground but will pick off Anderson a couple of times. I think Roscoe has a big day returning the ball building off his strong performance last week. The play action pass will play a huge part in this game in our favor after we establish the run early. I think it’s an effort similar to our performance against TB in week two. Kurupt’s favorite overpaid LE has a monster day against their shaky RT and continues build on his strong season so far.

BILLS: 30 BROWNS: 17

by live6453 on Oct 10, 2009 2:32 PM EDT reply actions

Browns in a close one

Ugh. I hate to make this prediction, but it seems to me the Browns have some real upward momentum going, while the Bills have been sliding. More important, Derek Anderson always plays especially well against us. Our o-line has a lot of potential, but theirs is very good right now with Joe Thomas at OT and Alex Mack playing like an experienced veteran at C. Based on that I would say the Browns by 3-4 points and Bobby April as HC by Tuesday.

by Macktruck on Oct 10, 2009 2:37 PM EDT reply actions

WAKE UP GUYS!!

how are you calling this one close! Yeesh your all turning into such a dejected fan base its becoming boring!!

We crushed the Bucs and had the Pats beat and we held the best offense to ten points until our head coach gave up on us! In my personal opinion we had ONE, count it ONE bad game. The Browns bloggers prediction is based on us getting blown out the last two games? Maybe on the scoreboard but from what I watched we were blown out of ONE game and it was AWAY against our toughest rival.

You want my prediction? TO gets in Trents face earlier today with a clipping of Rob Ryan calling him a bad QB and jacks him telling him to get him the ball to shut these clowns up. AVP sense that Rob Ryan has opened the door for him to get Trent’s confidence back in a big way by proving Ryan wrong and knows he does this by shredding the Browns HORRENDOUS run defense with our two STUD running backs and then letting Trent torch their secondary after their safeties come into the box to stem the bleeding. At this point TO and Lee go to work, with my money being on Lee having a good game and TO having a GREAT one, stepping up to the plate for his QB and being a hero in the locker room while earning Trent’s trust.

The Browns think they have one overtime LOSS and suddenly they look like a good team? By my count they have looked awful in every other game. Oh yea, and their close game was against their toughest rival even more proof that you can never predict rivalry games and how they turn out. SNAP OUT OF IT!

Bills 31 Browns 17

We got your back Leodis!

by poz on Oct 10, 2009 3:19 PM EDT reply actions

count it ONE bad game.

Was supposed to read “ONE blowout”.

We got your back Leodis!

by poz on Oct 10, 2009 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions

poz...how many players that started on MNF are not currently starting?

We are not that team anymore. Sorry. The Browns have been showing life and playing well in their recent losses. Are they are on the upswing? The Bills started out looking good and have since been ravaged by injury, poor play from starters and 2nd stringers players, and questionable coaching in critical situations. As usual, it is all on the Oline and Trent. If they play well…..we win. If we see more of what we saw last week, light the fuse and wait for the BOOOOOOM!!!!!!!

Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes

by Joe P. on Oct 10, 2009 6:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Because we don't have a very good team....

Because we almost won one game, played pretty well against one of worst teams in the league and stayed in the game against one of the better teams for 3 quarters, we should expect good things out of this team??? They’ve looked quite poorly for much of this season, especially on O and stopping the run.

I expect the Browns to be able to run it on us. We have one of the worst run D’s in the league, and it won’t surprise me if Harrison breaks a couple of longer runs. The Browns have a pretty solid OL too.

This is going to be one of those games that goes quickly. Both teams will be able to run it on the other, so I expect the clock to be running often this week. That’ll help keep any potential blowout for either side under control.

Bills 24-20

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Oct 10, 2009 3:37 PM EDT up reply actions

The Browns have a pretty solid OL too

Alex Mack at center!I’m looking forward to seeing him play a whole game, haven’t watch any of their games yet.

This game is a crapshoot, 50/50 chance with the edge maybe on Buffalo’s side just because we’re at home although the 12th player might not be as much of a factor as he normally is..

POZ

with a clipping of Rob Ryan calling him a bad QB and jacks him telling him to get him the ball to shut these clowns up

Not sure that Trent can get Jacked up – since he contracted the D1J1 virus, he is devoid of any testosterone.

Either believe in your team or don’t coach it
FEED the BEAST!

by keysh67 on Oct 11, 2009 8:28 AM EDT up reply actions

38-21 Bills. We’re just the better team. Derek Anderson is not the answer for the Browns, how could he be?

Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged

by Dyl on Oct 10, 2009 3:37 PM EDT reply actions

Drew Brees II ???????

Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes

by Joe P. on Oct 10, 2009 6:45 PM EDT up reply actions

I'll eat my hat. :)

Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged

by Dyl on Oct 10, 2009 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, your hat is probably not in any danger :-)

Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes

by Joe P. on Oct 10, 2009 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Desperate vs. demoralized

I’m hoping desperate wins.

(It’s the Bills who are desperate, by the way.)

by Applsoss on Oct 10, 2009 4:09 PM EDT reply actions

if the bills win the toss and jauron defers – i’m going to scream. the ralph will turn ugly if the browns get an early score and momentum.
both starting safeties out, and while mitchell is more stout against the run, he can’t run with tight ends down the seam.
sadly – i think anderson hits several big passes, to some no name never before like chad henne, that the bills manage to make look great.
Brownies 27, Bills 17

i’m off to the iowa-michigan game. if the hawks lose, and the bills lose, monday i contruct the funeral pyre.

by LeClaireBill on Oct 10, 2009 4:27 PM EDT reply actions

First of all - being 4-0 on picks for the Bills this season isn't really that crazy. I'm 4-0 too! Woo hoo.

The Pats, Saints and Dolphins are all top-half of the league teams (Pats/Saints when healthy are super bowl contenders). The Bills SHOULD have lost all those games – even the Miami one regardless of bad they played. You could also say that the Bucs was a SHOULD win game at home. I’ve been saying all along that this team is going to finish 6-10. Not that I want it that way… it’s just that there are 7 should lose games on the schedule and three should wins. There are six games up for grabs and I’m taking the Bills to split – Jauron style.

Regardless, this game is a should win game. If past performance tells us anything, it’s that the Bills beat who they are supposed to (especially at home) and lose to who they are supposed to.

I say the Bills beat Cleveland 27-24 in a game that is far closer than it should be. As in, Jerome Harrison gives Cleveland a late lead and Trent Edwards marches the Bills down the field and scores on a T.O. touchdown. Edwards gets his groove back, T.O. gets a little swagger … and all the sudden, the Bills have something to build off of… after… ugh… barely beating the 0-5 Browns at home.

Also, for what it’s worth, don’t be surprised if this game is close. Cleveland has had our number the past two years – including what I still think was the low point of the last decade in the Monday Night game last season. Mangini knows our defense and our personnel well. We also struggle against defenses with 400-pound boulders at nosetackle. Still, something’s gotta give, and I think the Bills take this one in a squeaker. Maybe not so much because the Bills will be better, but at least we’ll get to see them play against a team that is a lot worse.

by Kooz on Oct 10, 2009 4:55 PM EDT reply actions

First of all – being 4-0 on picks for the Bills this season isn’t really that crazy. I’m 4-0 too! Woo hoo.

Freaking killjoy.

Buffalo Rumblings. On Twitter.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. --Wayne Grezky" --Michael Scott

by Brian Galliford on Oct 10, 2009 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions

haha sorry

didn’t mean to burst your bubble.

by Kooz on Oct 10, 2009 9:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Brian, calling the Bills to lose against the Pats was easy – you have to admit that…
The Bucs OK
Then the Dolphins at home against a bad run defense…

I kinda agree with Kooz that it didn’t take much to be 4-0

Either believe in your team or don’t coach it
FEED the BEAST!

by keysh67 on Oct 11, 2009 8:34 AM EDT up reply actions

1st 1pm game of the year for the Bills.

They win 48-31. Let’s hope they don’t wear their pajamas to work.

Twitter: helping to make anti-social people anti-socially social.

by TheAfghanTwilight on Oct 10, 2009 5:06 PM EDT reply actions

I predict the number of "Fire Richard" posts will be off the charts this week.....

Bills lose 24-17

"In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage. In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the victory next time." (Robert Collier)

by norcaliangelsfan on Oct 10, 2009 5:07 PM EDT reply actions

Home field advantage gets us the "W" - Bills 20 Dawgs 17

They are hard to play but not hard to beat.
- Mike Lombardi on the Buffalo Bills

by Sluss88 on Oct 10, 2009 5:11 PM EDT reply actions

prediction

Bills 79 – Browns 3, Ditka gets 1.5 and Rob Ryan gets an education in how Stanford boys role! This game won’t be close….WHERE U AT ABAYARDE????

MARVelous - "I went from America's team to North America's Team" Terrell Owens

by MARVelous on Oct 10, 2009 6:19 PM EDT reply actions

79......7-9 ?????? Very funny Marv.

Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes

by Joe P. on Oct 10, 2009 6:47 PM EDT up reply actions

This strikes me as a 10 possession game for each team. I’m going out on a limb and prognosticating that Buffalo will score on 7 of those 10 possessions, 4 TDs and 3 FG. I’m going to further predict that the Browns score on 5 of their possessions, 2 TDs and 3 FGs. Bills 37, Browns 23.

The offense will be efficient and Edwards will have a field day throwing to Evans and Owens after the Browns commit an 8th man in the box to stop the 180+ (combined) rushing yardage put up by Lynch and Jackson. Many on the blog will be ecstatic and allow their hopes to rise. Some, on the other hand, will be waiting for the maddening inconsistency the Bills have displayed over Jauron’s tenure to re-emerge.

Of course we could make things more challenging, Lisa, but then the stupider students would be in here complaining, furrowing their brows in a vain attempt to understand the situation--Seymour Skinner

by Ron From NM on Oct 10, 2009 7:41 PM EDT reply actions

If the Bills offense scores 4 TD, I will crap my pants!

Which will be very inconvenient since I will be on the road. Am I the only one who thinks a shoot out favors the Browns?

Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes

by Joe P. on Oct 10, 2009 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Bring some baby wipes for your drive. Oh, and, ewwwww.

by Ron From NM on Oct 10, 2009 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Looks like I brought those wipes along for nothing :-)

Is 6-3 considered a shootout???

Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes

by Joe P. on Oct 11, 2009 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Am I the only one who thinks a shoot out favors the Browns?

I don’t think it favors either team since both defenses are terrible. The Browns do seem to have more of a quick strike able offense with a big play RB and a QB who can chuck it downfield. I’m not sure that amounts to any actual big plays this week though.

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Oct 11, 2009 1:59 AM EDT up reply actions

The Browns O seemed to wake up, while the Bills O went to sleep last week.

Trent doesn’t like to throw it down field even when he has a pristine pocket, let alone one that is falling apart around him. What are the odds the Bills Oline can hold up long enough and refrain from committing costly penalties to throw it deep?

If the Browns O is clicking, I don’t see how the Bills can keep up.

Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes

by Joe P. on Oct 11, 2009 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions

I could see six touchdowns in the game to come

But some of those will likely be defensive or special teams TDs.

Mmmph rrgh prrmf! - someone with his mouth gagged

by Dyl on Oct 10, 2009 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions

The coolaid is flowing!

Either believe in your team or don’t coach it
FEED the BEAST!

by keysh67 on Oct 11, 2009 8:36 AM EDT up reply actions

I’m picking Buffalo because they’re easily the more desperate football team

I like those words from BG, and agree with ‘em completely. If this team comes out flat, I think we’re gonna have a problem. I really hope I see some “punch ’em in the mouth” tomorrow. To go to BG’s keys to the game piece (eat some chicken soup K), I agree with all of those too. Run the ball, run the ball, run the ball. When you think you should throw, run it again. Trent doesn’t need to throw thirty times to prove Ryan wrong; punching his defense in the mouth will surely do it.

I see a lower scoring game: Bills 19, Browns 14.

by krytime on Oct 10, 2009 7:55 PM EDT reply actions

There you go krytime....how did you get 19??????

1 TD and 4 field goals….seems right :-)

Poor ball security leads to very painful outcomes

by Joe P. on Oct 10, 2009 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions

That’s exactly how I got 19 Joe.

by krytime on Oct 10, 2009 9:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Or...

3 FGs and 5 safties.

"Next time I get the opportunity I am going to hold on and make a better decision." ~ Leodis McKelvin. (Can't ask for anythitng more than that)

by NolaBillsFan on Oct 10, 2009 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Hmm, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit, if the Browns somehow win this game, as Dick Jauron-coached teams always seem to throw games away, but I’m still going with the Bills, because we’re a much better football team and much more talented in all three fases. The one thing I want to see is offensive explosion – Trent going deep early and often and the running attack getting going again. Hopefully, our solid pass-rush continues this weak against one of the least mobile QB’s in the league in Derek Anderson; I see Schobel getting 2 sacks and thereby building on what seems to be a very good season so far.

by BillsfanfromDenmark on Oct 10, 2009 8:46 PM EDT reply actions