Cleveland, OH (92.3 The Fan) – As the final scores rolled in Sunday afternoon it became clear that the Browns were not going to get the requisite – and monumental – help required to back door their way into playing in January.
And while they remain technically mathematically alive for the wild card, let’s be real for a moment, the playoffs were a pipe dream in 2018.
They won’t be next year. It’ll be expected, and the sleeping giant will be wide awake and finally get its chance to roar.
The only remaining convoluted path remaining to the playoffs is as follows: beat the Bengals at home next week and win at Baltimore Dec. 30, hope the Ravens lose Saturday night at the Los Angeles Chargers, Miami loses 1 of their final 2, Tennessee and Indianapolis both lose this weekend and then tie in Week 17 against each other.
Regardless of how hot the Browns got in the second half of the season, the hole was already dug in the first 8 games.
It’s natural to lament what would’ve, could’ve and should’ve been early in the season that has ultimately cost them a chance to end the longest playoff drought in the NFL, which will soon hit 16 consecutive seasons, but set emotion and frustration aside even though there was the blocked field goal in the waning seconds of OT against the Steelers in week 1, 4 missed kicks in Week 2 at New Orleans, the re-viewed re-spot in Oakland and the slow start at Tampa Bay that now hangs over what is left of their playoff dreams.
But everything happens for a reason, and in this case, it needed to happen.
Had the Browns won a few of those games early, Hue Jackson would likely still be the head coach and this team would not have begun to blossom over these last 6 weeks while simultaneously reenergizing the franchise, and their long-suffering fans.
When elimination comes next Sunday or on Dec. 30, there is no reason for anyone – players, coaches, executives or fans – to hang their heads.
It’s already been a great season – by Browns standards – and a gigantic step forward for the franchise that prior to the Sashi Brown complete roster burn down had been stuck in a 4-12, 5-11 quagmire.
The Browns ended their 19-game winless streak, 18-game AFC North winless streak, 32-game Sunday losing streak and 25-game road losing streak. They’ve won back-to-back games – twice – and for just the fifth time in 20 seasons since 1999 will avoid losing 10 games.
Most importantly, the selection of Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 overall pick in April has been validated and the Browns finally have their long-lost franchise quarterback. Had Jackson not been fired along with Todd Haley, we’d likely still be asking that question about Mayfield. Thankfully Freddie Kitchens has transformed the offense for Mayfield since being elevated to offensive coordinator and the rookie has fourished.
Prior to the coaching change Mayfield was struggling to find his footing. He was completing just 58 percent of his passes, threw for 1,471 yards with 8 touchdowns, 6 interceptions and he was sacked 20 times. In the 6 games since, Mayfield has completed 71 percent of his passes for 1,594 yards with 13 touchdowns, 5 interceptions and he’s been sacked just 5 times. His yards gained per pass attempt has jumped from 6.60 to 8.66.
So, with the odds of swiping that second Wild Card slot down to .000000000000000001 percent, what is there left for Mayfield and the Browns to gain the last 2 weeks?
A win over either Cincinnati or Baltimore secures a +.500 record within divisional play for the Browns, which would be a first for them since the AFC North was formed in 2002.
A win over the Bengals Sunday would also assure the Browns that they finish no worse than third in the division, which would mark the first time the franchise avoided a last place finish since 2010 and only the fifth time since 1999 they did not finish in the cellar.
Should the Browns beat both the Bengals and Ravens, it’d mark 4 consecutive victories to end the season, which would tie the 2009 team, who also won their final 4 games, for the longest regular season win streak in the expansion era. It would also result in an 8-7-1 finish, and mark the third time since 1999 they did not finish a season below .500.
Enjoy the next 2 weeks, there’s still work to be done.
Then get ready for what could be, finally, a lot of fun in 2019.
