Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns: first-half open thread

The Buffalo Bills have won six games this season. The Cleveland Browns have won two. On Sunday, the Bills travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns as three-point underdogs in what could be a pivotal AFC match-up for both squads.

For the Bills, a victory would go a long way towards cementing a playoff berth for the second time in three years. For Cleveland, a victory would provide hope for the second half of what has been a terrible season thus far.

One of the major storylines of the week has been the first official competition between quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Baker Mayfield was chosen first overall by Cleveland, and the Bills traded up to select Josh Allen seventh. The two young passers faced off in the preseason last year, but this will be their first match-up in a regular-season game.

Perhaps the more important story to follow is that of the running backs. Buffalo’s porous run defense has been exposed over the last three weeks, as they’ve allowed 422 yards on the ground in that time. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are both immensely talented runners who will have a chance to feast unless the Bills fix their issues quickly.

Rookie Devin Singletary is coming off his best game as a pro, and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll should look for every opportunity to feed his young stud the ball this week against a middling Cleveland defense. Using Singletary in the screen game could help to slow down the Browns’ pass rush, led by third-year stud Myles Garrett, thereby helping to keep the pressure off of Allen.

This is your first-half thread, Bills fans. Wherever you’re enjoying the game, make it a good afternoon. Go Bills!