With their respective seasons on the line the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns met on the banks of Lake Erie on Sunday, Mother Nature decided to join them. In blizzard like conditions throughout the game the Browns offense did just enough behind the running of Jamal Lewis, 2 clutch Phil Dawson field goals and a shutout by their much maligned defense to beat the Bills 8-0. The win puts the Browns at 9-5 and squarely into the AFC playoff hunt. The loss dropped the Bills to 7-7 and out of playoff contention.

Early on the Browns, behind strong armed QB Derek Anderson, tried to throw the ball in the wind and snow. Anderson attempted 24 passes Sunday, 18 of them in the 1st half when the Browns built an 8-0 halftime lead, but as conditions deteriorated throughout the game the Browns went to the run. The Browns only attempted 6 passes in the 2nd half, but ran the ball 21 times.

Jamal Lewis has told all who would listen that November and December is time for running back's and more or less his time to shine. Sunday in the snow and wind he shined his brightest. Lewis carried the ball 15 times in the 1st half for 80 yards and basically duplicated the effort in the 2nd half to finish the game with 33 carries for 163 yards. Lewis made his greatest contribution to the game late though. With the Browns backed up on their own 3 yard line with 6:08 to play and leading by just 8, the Browns went to Lewis 6 times on 8 running plays to get them out to the Browns 48. The drive ate over 4 minutes off the clock and forced the Bills to use all their timeouts. When the Bills finally got the ball back with 1:51 to play they were on their own 30 with no timeouts.

The Browns defense, which has seen it's share of criticism this season, came with their hard hats and lunch pales on Sunday. They shut down the Bills running game, which had amassed 224 yards the previous week against the Dolphins, to just 108 yards on 32 attempts, 29 of it coming on 1 play. They also had Bills QB Trent Edwards baffled all day as he attempted 33 passes, but completed only 13 of them. The Browns defense was held without a sack Sunday, but did hurry Edwards 5 times and seemed to confuse him all day. With all that said though the game was still in doubt with 1:51 to play and the Bills taking over on their own 30. The Bills were able to complete one 4th down, a 4th and 10 at the Browns 35, but were not able to convert the second 4th down, a 4th and 5 at the Browns 10 with :15 to play. They attempted a screen pass to RB Fred Jackson, but the Browns sniffed it out and stopped it for no gain.

The Browns will now have to take their show on the road for their last regular season road game of the year in Cincinnati. The Bengals are 5-9 and coming off a loss Saturday night at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers. The Browns have not clinched a playoff spot yet and still have the Tennessee Titans firmly on their heels at 8-6 for the AFC's final playoff spot. So though they are in good position to make the playoffs, the Browns must win next week to insure they make it. Even so, Browns fans tonight are basking over the biggest win by the Browns since 2002.

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