Needing a two-minute drive to tie the game at 19-19, the Buffalo Bills got into field goal range before stopping themselves from going any further.
However, Bills kicker Stephen Hauschka ended up missing a 53-yard field goal attempt with 22-seconds to go to drop Buffalo to a 6-3 record after a 19-16 loss to the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.
Buffalo was driving down the field with a timeout and a minute left when the offense suddenly huddled up on a 3rd-and-4 play to kill time and settle for the long field goal attempt for Hauschka. The veteran kicker had missed earlier in the game from 34 yards out, and this kick ended up missing wide-left to hand the Bills their first loss on the road this season.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen threw for 266 yards on 22-of-41 passing, while running for a pair of touchdowns. Running back Devin Singletary led the Bills with 40 yards rushing on just eight carries, while wide receiver John Brown led the Bills in receiving again with 77 yards on five catches.
The Buffalo run defense struggled once again, giving up 116 yards from Browns running back Nick Chubb. Browns quarterback ended up throwing for 238 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rashard Higgins with 1:44 remaining in regulation. Wide receiver Jarvis Landry led the Browns in receiving with 97 yards on nine receptions, including a 17-yard touchdown reception on the very first drive of the game.
On that opening drive, Mayfield quickly marched the Browns up the field on a six-play drive to set up the touchdown pass to Landry. After the touchdown, Landry committed a 15-yard taunting penalty that led to Cleveland missing the extra-point attempt.
Buffalo wouldn't do much offensively in the first quarter, but Cleveland also had a rough remainder of the first half. The Bills defense had to tough out an eight-play goal line stand, with two penalties to reset the downs, in order to stop the Browns from scoring from the Buffalo one-yard line.
The Bills took their first lead of the game in the second quarter after Buffalo marched 76 yards down the field to set up a 10-yard touchdown run from Allen.
The Browns reclaimed the lead on the very next drive, putting together a 13-play, 69-yard drive that ended with a 27-yard field goal from kicker Austin Seibert to make it a 9-7 game. The Buffalo defense, once again, came up with another goal line stand with three goal-to-go stops to prevent a Browns touchdown.
Just before the end of the first half, Buffalo were able to get to the Browns' 16-yard line to set up a 34-yard field goal for Hauschka with 20-seconds left. However, he ended up pulling the kick to the left and missing the go-ahead kick.
The third quarter has not been kind for the Bills this season, and this game was no different for the offense as it, once again, failed to score in the third quarter.
The Bills defense, however, helped tie the game at 9-9 on Cleveland's opening drive of the third as linebacker Tremaine Edmunds sacked Mayfield in the end zone to force a safety.
Cleveland responded by forcing a three-and-out on Buffalo's next drive, then ended up getting three more points to re-take the lead, 12-9 thanks to a 47-yard field goal from Seibert.
The lead changed back to Buffalo's favor in the fourth quarter when the Bills took advantage of a short field of 48 yards. The big play of the drive was an unconventional one after Allen was about to be stopped on third down inside the Cleveland 10-yard line before he fumbled the football. Bills guard Jon Feliciano not only recovered the football to avoid a turnover, but was able to fall forward for a first down and give the Bills 1st-and-goal from the Browns' two-yard line. Two plays later, Allen kept the ball for a one-yard quarterback sneak to give the Bills a 16-12 lead with just 5:26 left in the game.
However, the Browns responded with the go-ahead touchdown drive to give them the lead for good.
After a Jerry Hughes fumble recovery touchdown was negated for being a forward incomplete pass, the Browns drove 65 yards down the field and capped it off with Higgins' touchdown reception. Higgins found himself wide open in the end zone as he got space away from cornerback Levi Wallace.
While the Browns had the lead, they did give Buffalo a chance for the tie with 1:44 left and one timeout in their pocket.
The Bills got as far as the Cleveland 35-yard line with a 3rd-and-4 play coming up. The team decided to huddle up and kill 30-seconds off the clock before taking a low risk shot down the field that fell incomplete.
Buffalo then trotted Hauschka out for the 53-yard field goal attempt with 22-seconds to go, but the kick ended up tailing off wide-left of the upright.
- 6-0 BROWNS - Browns touchdown (12:09) - Baker Mayfield tosses a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jarvis Landry (Austin Seibert's extra-point attempt is no good).
- Drive info: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:47
- 6-0 BROWNS - Bills turnover on downs (10:36) - Josh Allen targets wide recevier John Brown on 4th-and-4 at the Cleveland 39-yard line, but the pass was behind Brown and falls incomplete.
- 6-0 BROWNS - Browns turnover on downs (3:18) - After eight plays at the Buffalo one-yard line, the Bills defense stops running back Nick Chubb on 4th-and-goal for a two-yard loss.
Second Quarter:
- 7-6 BILLS - Bills touchdown (10:09) - Josh Allen scampers in for a 10-yard touchdown run (Stephen Hauschka's extra-point attempt is good).
- Drive info: 9 plays, 76 yards, 4:39
- 9-7 BROWNS - Browns field goal (3:35) - Austin Seibert's 27-yard field goal attempt is good.
- Drive info: 13 plays, 69 yards, 6:34
- 9-7 BROWNS - Bills missed field goal (0:20) - Stephen Hauschka's 34-yard field goal attempt tails wide-left.
Third Quarter:
- 9-9 TIE - Bills safety (10:53) - Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds sacks Baker Mayfield in the end zone for a safety.
- 12-9 BROWNS - Browns field goal (3:49) - Austin Seibert's 47-yard field goal attempt is good.
- Drive info: 10 plays, 56 yards, 5:01
- 12-9 BROWNS - Bills turnover on downs (0:02) - Josh Allen misfires on a 4th-and-4 pass to wide receiver John Brown at the Cleveland 36-yard line and it falls incomplete.
Fourth Quarter:
- 16-12 BILLS - Bills touchdown (5:26) - Josh Allen sneaks the ball in for a one-yard touchdown run (Stephen Hauschka's extra-point attempt is good).
- Drive info: 7 plays, 48 yards, 3:44
- 19-16 BROWNS - Browns touchdown (1:44) - Baker Mayfield connects on a seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rashard Higgins (Austin Seibert's extra-point attempt is good).
- Drive info: 10 plays, 82 yards, 3:42
- 19-16 BROWNS - Bills missed field goal (0:22) - Stephen Hauschka's 53-yard field goal attempt tails wide-left.
Lotempio Complete Stats of the Game
Josh Allen - 22-of-41, 266 yards
Baker Mayfield - 25-of-37, 238 yards, 2 TDs
Devin Singletary - 8 carries, 42 yards
Josh Allen - 6 carries, 26 yards, 2 TDs
Frank Gore - 5 carries, 12 yards
Patrick DiMarco - 1 carry, 2 yards
Nick Chubb - 20 carries, 116 yards
Kareem Hunt - 4 carries, 30 yards
Baker Mayfield - 2 carries, 1 yard
John Brown - 5 receptions, 77 yards
Cole Beasley - 4 receptions, 74 yards
Dawson Knox - 4 receptions, 55 yards
Robert Foster - 1 reception, 20 yards
Isaiah McKenzie - 2 receptions, 19 yards
Devin Singletary - 3 receptions, 8 yards
Andre Roberts - 1 reception, 7 yards
Frank Gore - 1 reception, 4 yards
Patrick DiMarco - 1 reception, 2 yards
Jarvis Landry - 9 receptions, 97 yards, 1 TD
Odell Beckham Jr. - 5 receptions, 57 yards
Kareem Hunt - 7 receptions, 44 yards
Demetrius Harris - 2 receptions, 28 yards
Rashard Higgins - 1 reception, 7 yards
Nick Chubb - 2 receptions, 5 yards
Levi Wallace - 8 tackles, 1 tackle for loss
Jordan Poyer - 8 tackles
Matt Milano - 7 tackles, 1 sack
Tre'Davious White - 6 tackles
Tremaine Edmunds - 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 safety
Morgan Burnett - 8 tackles
Damarious Randall - 7 tackles
Joe Schobert - 5 tackles
Denzel Ward - 4 tackles
Chad Thomas - 2 tackles, 1 sack
BUF: 344CLE: 368
BUF: 260CLE: 221
BUF: 84CLE: 147
BUF: 20CLE: 24
BUF: 7 for 40 yards CLE: 4 for 70 yards
BUF: 28:14CLE: 31:46
The Bills remain on the road as they take on the Miami Dolphins next Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on WGR with John Murphy, Eric Wood and Sal Capaccio on the call.