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Dawson comes through, Lindell does not as Browns top Bills

Nov 18, 2008 - 7:18 AM ORCHARD PARK, New York (Ticker) -- The Buffalo Bills had a chance to win a game with a field goal but instead heard two dreaded words ... wide right.

Ryan Lindell missed a 47-yard field goal with 43 seconds to play as the Bills came up short in a 29-27 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Monday night.

Phil Dawson won the game with a 56-yard field goal with 1:44 left in the fourth for Cleveland (4-6).

Buffalo (5-5) took over at its own 44 with 1:33 to play and got into position for a potential game-winning field goal but Lindell pushed it wide right. This kick had much less at stake but Bills fans can't help but be reminded of Scott Norwood's miss that could have won Super Bowl XXV.

Norwood's miss too was wide right.

"I missed my line really. I hit the ball, had a good approach, form, snap and hold. It was about the only thing wrong," Lindell said. "That's my job to pick up the slack the offense leaves. I've just got to make that, it's ridiculous. I knew I hit a good ball. Then I looked up and it just didn't stay straight. It didn't come back at all."

Marshawn Lynch ran for over 100 yards and had 10 receptions and Trent Edwards overcame three early interceptions with a late touchdown run that gave Buffalo 27-26 lead.

Brady Quinn then completed a pair of passes for 12 and 16 yards on Cleveland's ensuing possession to set up Dawson's winning kick.

"You can't say enough about Phil Dawson and what he has meant to this team and what he's been able to accomplish in his career," Cleveland coach Romeo Crenell said. To hit a 56 yarder, the game winner, that was tremendous."

Quinn was not particularly sharp but made a couple of accurate throws when called upon. He completed 14-of-36 passes for 185 yards. He did not throw a TD pass, but did not throw in interception either, which is more than could be said for Edwards.

"Each week is going to provide some options for you to go to," Quinn said. "Clearly Kellen and Braylon, we like to get them the ball. They do great things when the ball is in their hands. It kind of sorted itself out with what Buffalo did on defense."

After Edwards scored on a 1-yard plunge to give the Bills the lead, Cleveland took over on its 33. Quinn threw to Braylon Edwards for 12 yards and hit Kellen Winslow for 16 yards down the the Buffalo 39. Three incompletions later, Dawson came on and drilled the kick, his fifth field goal of the night, with a few yards to spare.

"In the spur of the moment you've got to be confident, so as soon as we through the incomplete pass on third down I was ready to go," Dawson said. "I gave Romeo a nod, he had the confidence to send about there, which I appreciate and we were able to get the job done."

"You have to take your hat off to Phil," Quinn said. "All night it's frustrating as an offense to not score a touchdown. He just comes through consistent as can be, as clutch as can be. We can't thank him enough and appreciate him enough or what he does for this team."

Edwards had thrown two interceptions before the game was four minutes old, but the Browns cold only turn them into three points, a 40-yard field goal by Dawson.

Cleveland was up 13-0 in the second quarter after a 2-yard run by Joshua Cribbs, but Buffalo scored the final 10 points of the half to close within 13-10.

Lynch caught an 18-yard TD pass from Edwards in the second quarter and finished with 10 catches for 58 yards. He ran for 119 on 23 carries, including a tough 28-yard run on which he dragged a pair of Browns defenders about 10 yards to the 1. That run set up Edwards' TD sneak.

The Browns led 16-13 after three and then the fourth quarter got off to an explosive start.

Jerome Harrison ripped off a 72-yard run on the first play of the quarter to give Cleveland a 23-13 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Leodis McKelvin streaked 98 yards for a TD to pull the Bills back within 23-20.

Edwards was 16-of-26 for 148 yards for Buffalo, which has lost four straight after a 5-1 start.

"Obviously a disappointing loss for us. We had a chance," Bills Coach Dick Jauron said. "We started off awfully slow and sloppy and we just kept fighting. Guys just hung there somehow and we had a chance to win this. A disappointing loss."