Browns can still make playoffs after Week 16 Jets debacle
The Browns can still make playoffs after the Week 16 Jets loss.
All the Browns had to do was win, and they’d be in. With a one-win Jets team on the schedule, the 17-year playoff drought was poised to end.
Ah…the ghost of Derrick Anderson throwing the ball 48 times though treacherous winds on Cincinnati’s riverfront has something to say about that.
The Browns were whacked by the Covid-19/reserve list, losing their four top receiver and three other starters. Kevin Stefanski decided to pass the ball despite having no bonafide wideout to catch the ball and now Cleveland’s season is on the brink.
Sunday was a strange day to be a Browns. At 1 p.m., every card carrying member of the Dawg Pound was rooting for the Colts to slam the Steelers, setting up a battle for the AFC North with the Browns in the regular season finale.
By 3 p.m. with the Browns trailing by two touchdowns, and with Pittsburgh mounting a comeback in Indy, a Steelers win didn’t look so bad.
The Browns loss was the kiss of death on any hope of a divisional title, but in winning, Pittsburgh gave Cleveland life. The Week 17 matchup against Pittsburgh is still of the greatest importance, though, as a win sends the Browns to postseason.
If the Browns can beat Pittsburgh, they’d be 11-5. If Indy, Baltimore and Miami also win and finish 11-5, Cleveland would would get in since via tie breaker since they beat the Colts earlier this season.
It’ll be interesting to see how Pittsburgh treats the season finale. Basically, the big question will be: Will Ben play? Whether the Steelers find themselves as the Nos. 2 or 3 seed, Pittsburgh will be hosting a playoff game in the wild card round. If they’re the third seed, they would find themselves going on the road, though, should the No. 2 seed win its wild card game.
Obviously, Browns fans want to see Myles Garrett chasing down Mason Rudolph at First Energy Stadium Jan. 3, but I think there’s something to be said for beating, Big Ben, as well.
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The Browns have beaten Roethlisberger just a few times in his long career, and in the times they were victorious, there were never any stakes. Beating Ben and powering their way to the playoffs would further advance the culture change that’s already taken form in Berea.