(Detroit) Josh Allen threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs late in the first half and the Bills edged the Cleveland Browns 31-23 on Sunday after the NFL moved the roster’s home game from Buffalo to Detroit due to several feet of snow blanketing western New York State.
The Bills (7-3) avoided losing a third straight halftime lead by scoring on all five possessions in the second half and protecting the ball better.
Allen completed 18 of 27 passes for 197 yards, including a touchdown pass.
This performance is in contrast to his last three games where he threw six of his 10 interceptions for the season. Allen also fumbled a throw-in in the end zone in last week’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Bills running backs Devin Singletary and James Cook each had 86 yards, which allowed Allen to better distribute offensive duties.
The Browns (3-7) managed to narrow the gap to eight points in the final moments of the game after Bills receiver Gabe Davis was unable to catch the ball.
Browns quarterback Jacoby Brissett found takers on 28 of 41 throw-ins for 324 yards — two shy of his career high — to wrap up his best performance of the season.
Brissett completed three touchdown passes. First he spotted Amari Cooper on the game’s first possession with a 25-yard pass, then he found Cooper again on 7 yards with 4:11 left in the final quarter to put the Browns 12 points behind. Bills and finally completed a 2-yard pass to Donovan Peoples Jones in the last minute of the game.