Thursday Night Football 2013 - NFL Oct. 3 Scores, Results and Winners: Backup QB Rallies Cleveland Browns, Topples Buffalo on Primetime Stage
Thursday night featured perhaps the most unlikely matchup on a primetime platform: The Bills and Browns.
Regardless of the matchup, it was a special night in Cleveland. Fans enjoyed a special 37-24 hometown victory while former Browns great Jim Brown was honored by the team and added to the Cleveland Browns Ring of Honor.
The big night in Cleveland had a rocky start as the Browns were down by 10 heading into the second quarter, but that all changed in an instant. Cleveland stormed back with 17 unanswered points before the half to hold a 17-10 halftime lead.
The Browns had to improvise after quarterback Brian Hoyer went down with an injury just shortly after winning the starting job when Brandon Weeden struggled to lead the team after an 0-2 start to the year.
Weeden, however, made the best of his opportunity following Hoyer's injury. Weeden threw for nearly 200 yards and a touchdown to help his team secure the victory.
"We're a hungry, relentless football team out to prove something and its fun to work every single day with these guys because everybody means business," Weeden said to the Chronicle Telegram after the game. "We're a close-knit group. So to win one like this on Thursday night on national television, it's big for our locker room."
Cleveland's Josh Gordon reeled in the game's only passing touchdown when Weeden found him in the endzone during the final minutes of the third quarter.
The Bills, on the other hand, controlled the rushing game. CJ Spiller led the team with 66 rushing yards while Fred Jackson only managed to rack up 53 yards on a team-high 17 carries. The team had a total of 155 yards on the ground as opposed to Cleveland's 91.
The Bills will look to bounce back next week when they will face the Cincinnati Bengals at home. The Browns hope to keep their streak alive next week when they will face the Detroit Lions.