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Can the Browns rewrite the script against Buffalo?

The Cleveland Browns shuffle off to Buffalo on Sunday to take on the Bills in the latest in a series of games that are vitally important to Cleveland’s playoff hopes.

It’s great that the Browns are beating on the NFC South like, well like Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Baltimore regularly beat on the Browns, but Cleveland needs to start working on its conference record, which currently is a pedestrian 4-4. (Only Baltimore’s is worse among teams that are holding playoff aspirations.)

The Browns can do themselves a lot of good this weekend on several levels if they can take care of the Bills. A win gets the Browns to 8-4 heading into what should be a tough December schedule, and pushes the Bills a bit higher up next spring’s draft order, a key incentive as the Browns hold Buffalo’s No. 1 pick come the spring.

On the surface, it seems as if this game shouldn’t be a tough one for the Browns; after all, how hard can it be to beat a team quarterbacked by Kyle Orton and his 39-38 career record?

But we have been down this road before with Jacksonville and Houston, teams that beat up on the Browns in no small part because of their defensive line play.

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Browns may have saved season against Atlanta

It has been 24 hours and a small part of us is still wondering just how the Cleveland Browns walked out of Atlanta with a victory on Sunday.

It may not have been pretty at times – OK, it was downright ugly at times – but the win symbolized what this current Browns team is all about as, more times than not, they find a way to win.

The victory brings the Browns to 7-4 and keeps them very much in the playoff race in the AFC North Division. The record represents the team’s best mark after 11 games since 2007 (we’ll come back to that season in a little bit), and is just the fourth time since returning to the NFL in 1999 that they have won at least seven games.

The win was also the team’s second consecutive on the road and their third road victory of the year. It was 2008 since the last time the Browns achieved either of those marks. The Browns have also yet to lose consecutive games this season.

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Browns start decisive two-game stretch today in Atlanta

Today marks the start of a two-game stretch that could define the season for the Cleveland Browns.

First up are the Atlanta Falcons, who despite being just 4-6 currently sit in first place in the NFC South Division thanks to their 4-0 record within the division. (Ironically, the Browns are in last place in the AFC North Division with a 6-4 record. Go figure).

After the Falcons, the Browns will travel … somewhere … to take on the Buffalo Bills.

If the Browns play well, the games against the Falcons and the Bills are winnable ones. Take care of business these next two games, and the Browns will enter the final quarter of the season at 8-4 and carrying a real shot at 10 wins and a potential playoff position.

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Thumbs up, thumbs down as Browns set to face Texans

The Cleveland Browns find themselves atop the AFC North Division and in control of their playoff destiny heading into today’s game against Houston.

The Browns have reached this point after a 1-2 start to the season by winning five of their past six games to take over the division lead. Included in the winning streak is the biggest road comeback in league history, and beatings of divisional rivals Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

Over the next seven weeks we’ll find out if the Browns have finally turned the corner or if this season will go up in smoke like 2007 – the last time the Browns fielded a competitive squad. The journey won’t necessarily be easy of Cleveland has four of its final six games on the road, including the last two games of the regular season.

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5 Questions on the first place Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns are in first place in the AFC North Division.

Let that sink in for a moment before we move on.

The Browns have reached the top of the toughest division in the NFL by winning five of their past six games, a streak that includes beat downs of division rivals Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

They’ve also done it with quarterback Brian Hoyer doing what he does best – win – and with a defense that is starting to look impressive (just don’t look too closely at those rushing stats).

They’ve done it despite not having wide receiver Josh Gordon so far this year and with tight end Jordan Cameron battling injuries. They’ve done it despite losing center Alex Mack to a season-ending injury and seeing the defensive line hit by injuries on what seems like a weekly basis.

Most importantly, they’ve done it because the coaching staff has everyone buying into the program and they are playing as a team. They offense bailed out the defense early in the season; lately it has been the defense’s turn to carry the water.

“I don’t think many people gave us a chance, but the people in that [locker] room believed, and I think the greatest thing about our team is we play as a team,” Hoyer said on Thursday night after win against Cincinnati. “In the NFL, that’s where you have a lot of guys who are out for their selves, and this team plays for each other. As long as we do that, we can do special things.”

Just how special remains to be seen. The Browns have seven games to go and are currently in the playoff conversation as New England and Denver are the only AFC teams with fewer losses than the Browns.

To help everyone get through a Sunday with no Browns, we’ve put together another blue ribbon panel to talk about what the final seven games have in store for the Browns. Joining us today are:

Jeff Rich, a Senior NFL Writer at More Than a Fan; co-host of Rapid React on MTAF Cleveland, which can be heard immediately after every Browns game; and who can also be heard live on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at sportsbyline.com. Find him on Twitter @JRichRadio.

Jared Mueller, an editor at Dawg Pound Daily. Follow him on Twitter @JaredKMueller and @DawgPoundDaily.

Mike Burgermeister, proprietor of 603brown.com and Grand Poobah of Cheddar Bay. Follow him on Twitter @603_brown.

Ryan Alton from Draft Browns, who can be found on Twitter @RyInCBus.

Dave Kolonich, who’s been known to hang around on Twitter @DaveKolonich.

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