A pair of quarterback injuries gave way to one of the stranger Thursday Night Football games as the Cleveland Browns defeated the Buffalo Bills by a score of 37-24. The Browns now take sole lead of the AFC North after a third consecutive win.
Bills vs. Browns 2013 final score: Brandon Weeden leads Browns to victory, 37-24
Both teams lost their starting quarterbacks in an injury-riddled game.
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Brian Hoyer was the first to leave Thursday's game after he attempted a slide in the opening quarter and crumpled to the ground with a knee injury caused by a hit by Kiko Alonso. Brandon Weeden entered the game to play for a disapproving crowd, but quickly turned their favor as he led a long drive resulting in a 1-yard Willis McGahee touchdown.
Weeden settled after a rough start to finish with 197 yards passing and a touchdown. It will be very interesting to see what happens at the quarterback position in the coming weeks, provided Hoyer is healthy.
E.J. Manuel lasted until the third quarter, but suffered a similar fate. He converted on a third-down run, but did not step out of bounds in time. A defender dove at Manuel, hitting the rookie's knee and leaving him in a heap on the ground. He was surrounded by trainers and appeared to be okay, but Manuel ultimately went to the locker room and was lost for the game.
What followed was a tale of two very different teams. The Browns couldn't run the football but had a deep-ball passing offense with Josh Gordon and Greg Little, while the Bills abandoned the passing game but still had C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson.
The game finished as a passing-dominated game, and the Bills couldn’t stay in-step after Manuel left the field.
Injury Report
The Cleveland Browns lost Hoyer (knee) and Desmond Bryant (shortness of breath). Both will undergo tests, and there is nothing further to report at this time.
Buffalo's offense could be reeling as the Bills were without Manuel (knee) and Stevie Johnson (back). There is no update on either of their statuses at this time.
Fantasy studs and duds
Spiller moved past a slow start to finish with 66 yards rushing and a touchdown.
Josh Gordon became the Browns’ primary deep threat and put up 86 yards receiver and a touchdown of his own.
Did they cover?
The Cleveland Browns were 3.5 point favorites, according to Odds Shark. Their 13-point victory means they covered easily.
What’s next?
Oct. 13: Buffalo vs. Cincinnati
Oct. 13: Cleveland vs. Detroit
More from SB Nation NFL:
See More:
