2022.jpg
Imagn Images

Two AFC foes face off in Cleveland this week, as Shedeur Sanders and the 3-11 Cleveland Browns host Josh Allen and the 10-4 Buffalo Bills. The Browns are coming off a deflating 31-3 beatdown that came at the hands of the Chicago Bears. As for the Bills, they came back from down 21-0 on the road and beat the New England Patriots 35-31 to make up some ground in the AFC East standings.

It may be a bit of a long shot for the Bills to steal the No. 1 seed in the AFC from the Denver Broncos, but they are right on the heels of the 11-3 Patriots in the division following Sunday's statement victory. As for the Browns, they have already been eliminated from playoff contention, but Sanders is receiving important reps quarterback in his rookie season and Myles Garrett is on the verge of breaking the NFL record for sacks in a single season. Garrett has 21.5 sacks on the year, just one behind the all-time record of 22.5 held by Michael Strahan (2001) and T.J. Watt (2021). 

Let's break down this AFC showdown. But first, here's how you can watch the game.

Where to watch Bills vs. Browns live

  • Date: Sunday, Dec. 21 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
  • Location: Huntington Bank Field -- Cleveland, Ohio
  • TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Odds: Bills -10, O/U 42.5 (via DraftKings)

Bills vs. Browns: Need to know

  • The curious case of the ground game. The Bills are known for their rushing attack as James Cook enters Week 16 ranked second in rushing yards (1,415), while Allen is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the NFL. Buffalo actually ranks top two in rushing yards, yards per rush and rushing touchdowns, but get this -- the Bills rank bottom three on defense in all three of those same categories. The Bills' run defense could be their Achilles heel when it comes to a potential Super Bowl run this year. 
  • Comeback kings. Don't ever count out the Bills, no matter what the score is. Buffalo has registered three double-digit comebacks this season. In Week 1 vs. the Baltimore Ravens, the Bills became the first team to ever win a game in regulation when trailing by 15 or more points in the final four minutes. In Week 14, the Bills came back against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals after trailing by 10 points in the fourth quarter. Last week against the Patriots, Buffalo tied the largest comeback win on the road in franchise history.
  • A step back for Shedeur. The son of NFL legend Deion Sanders had his best professional outing in Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans, throwing for 364 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in a close loss. He was unable to build on that performance this past Sunday in Chicago as he threw for just 177 yards and three interceptions without a touchdown. 

Bills vs. Browns prediction, pick

At face value, this matchup features one of the best teams in the AFC vs. one of the worst teams in the AFC. It's going to come down to if the Browns can stop the Bills' top-ranked rushing attack. While Cleveland has a solid defense, it ranks No. 14 in defending the run. D'Andre Swift rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns against the Browns last week, while Tony Pollard rushed for a career-high 161 yards and two touchdowns in Cleveland the week prior. 

The Browns are 5-9 against the spread this season, and 0-3 against the spread as a double-digit underdog over the last five years. The only team Cleveland has defeated in the last two months is the Las Vegas Raiders, so we'll take Buffalo to cover. Pick: Bills -10, Under 42.5