3 winners (and 2 major duds) from Browns’ missed opportunity vs. Bills

No one thought the Cleveland Browns could beat the surging Buffalo Bills on Sunday. That the Browns had the ball with a chance to tie or win the game late in the fourth quarter constitutes a respectable performance for a team that’s now lost seven of its last eight games. 

But did we learn anything about the 2025 Browns, or where the team’s heading in 2026 and beyond? Not exactly.

The Browns were competitive, at least, but their now well-known limitations kept them from finishing the job in Sunday’s 23-20 loss to Buffalo. Their offense moved the ball but managed just 4.6 yards per play, and the defense continued its alarming trend of getting gashed on the ground; the Bills rushed for 164 and averaged 5.7 yards per carry against Jim Schwartz’s group.

This franchise (and coaching staff) could desperately use a win right now, but at this point, moral victories do count for something. Tennessee beat up on the Kansas City Chiefs and third-string QB Chris Oladokun, 26-9, on Sunday, and after drooping to 3-12, the Browns now hold the No. 3 overall draft slot in the 2026 NFL Draft.

No one associated with the team is happy about this one, though. The Browns did some good things on Sunday, but they’re now 6-26 since the start of the 2024 season.

Best and worst from the Cleveland Browns’ 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 16

Loser: DE Myles Garrett 

Garrett entered Sunday’s game just 1.5 sacks shy of breaking the NFL’s single-season sack record, but aside from one memorable pressure on Allen that resulted in a half-sack with teammate Mason Graham, Cleveland’s best player was invisible on Sunday.

Yes, the Bills have an MVP quarterback and a good head coach who wasn’t going to just let Garrett wreck the game. But even with Allen’s scrambling ability and quick passing, Garrett’s too dominant to essentially come up empty on the scoresheet.

The Browns were one big defensive play away from potentially playing spoiler on Sunday, and they allowed Buffalo to completely take Garrett out of the game. That’s inexcusable all around. 

Winner: TE Harold Fannin Jr.

It wasn’t a record-setting day for Garrett, but it was for Fannin. He scored both of Cleveland’s touchdowns, one receiving and one rushing, and became the team’s all-time leader for receptions in a season by a rookie. 

There’s not much left to say about Fannin. He’s Cleveland’s best skill position player and looks like a future franchise tight end.

Loser: QB Shedeur Sanders

It wasn’t all bad for Sanders. He completed a career-high 69 percent of his passes despite an ugly pinky injury on his throwing hand, and finished as the Browns’ leading rusher in this game. But with a chance to make a major statement in the fourth quarter, Sanders failed to make anything happen on two separate possessions in a three-point game.

Sanders tossed a pair of interceptions, moving to eight on the season, and lost 21 yards on two sacks. He continues to battle and show promise, but Sunday was a missed opportunity.

Winner: RB Trayveon Williams

The Browns lost No. 1 running back Quinshon Judkins to a gruesome leg injury late in the first half, but Williams, a former member of the Browns practice squad, flashed a versatile skillset that Cleveland could end up needed over these final two games of 2025.

Williams actually led the team in receiving with four catches for 38 yards, and also averaged 5.7 yards per carry. 

Winner: LB Carson Schwesinger

At this point, double-digit tackles and a high impact on the game is expected of the soon-to-be Defensive Rookie of the Year. Schwesinger was awesome yet again, recording 13 total tackles to lead the team, his seventh straight game with 10-plus tackles; he now has 147 on the year with two games left to play.

Schwesinger also recorded a sack and two QB hits on Allen. He continues to fly around and look like a franchise cornerstone in the middle of the Browns’ defense.