CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Lost on the despair over Saturday’s disappointing 24-22 loss at Green Bay, the Browns can still do something that they haven’t done since 1989.
Win the division.
As the current 12th team in the conference, a Wild Card berth is all but impossible.
“We have to control what we can control is really the biggest thing there,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “That is right in front of us is this game. That is what is the most important. Certainly, frustrated with how the last game went, but we – coaches, players and staff – have to put all of our energies into this game this week.”
Despite losing their last 2 games and going 4-7 since a 3-1 start to fall below .500 at 7-8, the Browns are very much alive to win the AFC North for the first time since the division’s inception in 2002.
The formula is rather simple.
The Browns must beat the Steelers Monday night in Pittsburgh and complete a season sweep of the Bengals at home January 9 for starters.
They also need Baltimore to lose one of their final two games – either to the Rams or Steelers – and the Bengals must lose this weekend to Kansas City and then in Cleveland in the regular season finale.
If the Ravens win both of their games or the Bengals beat the Chiefs, the door slams shut and the offseason begins January 10.
To net a Wild Card and the No. 7 seed, Cleveland would need to win their final two games plus the Ravens, Chargers, Raiders, Dolphins and Steelers, who are all in front of the Browns, would all need to lose their final two games.
Should the Browns rally to win the North, they would be the No. 4 seed in the AFC and host their first playoff game since the 1994 season.
