Bills Beat Browns, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

The Buffalo Bills are right in the thick of the AFC playoff chase after knocking off the Cleveland Browns 26-10 at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday.

A week after a major snowstorm forced the Bills to play a 'home' game in Detroit and kept residents in parts of Buffalo stranded in their homes, restless fans booed as Kyle Orton and company were shutout in the first half.

The second half was a different story.

Buffalonians had plenty to cheer in the third quarter including a Chris Hogan 3-yard TD reception from Orton, and a fumble returned 18-yards for a score just 10 seconds later on Cleveland's first play after the change of possession.

The Bills' D also intercepted Browns' starting QB Brian Hoyer twice, and was able to fend off rookie Johnny Manziel's comeback attempt after Cleveland made a change under center.

'Johnny Football' did record his first NFL touchdown, a 10-yard scramble into the end zone to cut Buffalo's lead to 20-10 with 8:46 remaining in the game. But that was the last time the Browns (7-5) would put points on the board.

Fred Jackson had a combined 97 ground-and-air yards while Robert Woods and MarQueis Gray each had 71 yards receiving. Sammie Watkins was held to 3 grabs and 11 yards while be targeted nine times.

Other than his hook up with Hogan, Orton's stat line at QB wasn't pretty: 17-31, 190 yards, 1 TD and 2 INT.

Cleveland's offense was paced by Miles Austin's 86 receiving yards and 75 more from Josh Gordon. Each finished with seven catches.

The win moves the Bills to 7-5 and tied with a handful of teams in pursuit of an AFC wildcard slot.