BEREA, Ohio-- Both the Browns and the Bills are in unfamiliar territory.
It's after Thanksgiving and both teams are playing meaningful games. Both teams drafted in the top 10 after last season and are usually out of playoff contention by the time the holiday season comes around.
The Browns head to Buffalo right in the midst of the hunt for the AFC North title with a 7-4 record. Meanwhile, the Bills (6-5) are trying to catch the Patriots and stay in the hunt for a Wild Card position.
The players are focused on the next game because they know if they take care of business, they will continue to play meaningful games.
"Yeah, no doubt," Brian Hoyer said. "Now you get to this point in the season where there are five games left, and like you said, you look at our division â every team has seven wins. I think the biggest thing for us is we can't really worry about what the other teams are doing.
"We have to worry about ourselves, and that starts with Buffalo this week," he said. "It's one of those weeks where it's a holiday week, and they can be easy to have some distractions. I think we really have to focus in. Go enjoy our time with our families, enjoy some turkey and do those types of things, but also hopefully we're looking at our iPads while we're at home waiting for the food to be served."
Hoyer knows the Browns are in a position to make a run at the playoffsâa position the Browns have only been in two times since 1999.
"It's just one of those things," Hoyer said. "You talk about uncharted territory. I think most Browns teams at Thanksgiving don't have much to really play for, and we have everything in the world to play for right now.
"Hopefully, we realize that, and I think we do," he said. "I think for a team that hasn't been in this situation for a long time, you see guys understanding what's at stake. I think that's a big part."
The Bills also know what's at stake.
"I think that I understand what people are saying, but every game for us, as coaches, has great magnitude," Bills Coach Doug Marrone said on Wednesday. "I think that's more for the fans and everyone else, but obviously its two teams that are fighting their butts off.
"For us, we have not played well at home," he said. "We haven't won here at home in a while. We're just trying to make sure that we're doing everything that we can to get out there and be able to compete and put ourselves in position to win."
Bills rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkinsâwhom the Browns seriously considered drafting-- knows this is a big game for his team.
"Well for us - this organization and the coaches - we know we have to win immediately," Watkins said. "We've got to go on a run. This team is in front of us. We've got to go out there and beat them. We've got to play great, execute on both sides of the ball."
Hoyer said it is exciting to play in a game that has playoff implications.
"It's what you play for," Hoyer said. "This is what we talked about in the beginning of the season, and the best thing is now it's up to us. You don't have to wait for other teams to do this.
"We just go out and play and, I think, control our own destiny," he said. "I think you look at it that way. Like you said, with five games left you never know how it's going to play out. For us, we just have to focus on ourselves, what we can do and how to beat Buffalo. That's our only goal right now and take it on one week at a time."
