CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Browns picked the wrong time to lose 8 players to COVID-19 protocols or injury and play one of their worst games of the season.
But all is not lost. There is still hope.
As embarrassing as Sunday’s 23-16 loss to the lowly New York Jets was, the Browns still control their own destiny thanks to the Steelers rallying from 17 down for a 28-24 win over the Colts.
“As I understand it, next week, you win and you are in so all of the work that the guys have put in the season, we still control our own destiny,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said.
The loss to New York dropped the Browns to 10-5 and into third place in the AFC North behind 10-5 Baltimore due to head-to-head tiebreakers.
Cleveland is now No. 7 in the AFC playoff race behind No. 5 Miami and No. 6 Baltimore.
“I am aware of what could have happened if we would have won today,” quarterback baker Mayfield, who fumbled three times in the loss, said. “I am well aware of that, but it is what it is. I am going to have to roll with these punches. Backs against the wall, and we have to win to get in.”
Here’s how Cleveland can still end the longest running playoff drought in the NFL next week:
The Browns are in with a win, which means they must do something they rarely do – beat the Steelers.
“Now the road goes through Pittsburgh,” defensive end Myles Garrett said. “The Steelers come to play us at our house, and we have to get to the playoffs through them.”
A gentle reminder, Pittsburgh has beaten the Browns in the past by fielding their backups, so nothing is guaranteed.
If Cleveland does not beat Pittsburgh next week and finishes the regular season 10-6, they can still get in but it is not the route Garrett or the Browns would like to take.
In 2002 after beating the Falcons 24-16, the Browns had to sit around and wait to see if they could get in at 9-7. They did. Then lost on Wild Card weekend, 36-33 to Pittsburgh.
After beating the 49ers 20-7 in the 2007 season final to finish 10-6, the Browns once again had to sit around and wait to see if they would get the requisite help to make it. This time, they did not because Indianapolis had the luxury of sitting their starters at the time.
“I would rather it be in my hands than anybody else’s,” Garrett said. “I do not have to worry about anybody else losing or winning. All we have to do is we have to go win. It is all on us.”
There are a couple of options to make the postseason if they lose to the Steelers.
One, if the Colts were to lose to the Jaguars, the Browns are in.
Two, if the Titans lose to the Packers at Green Bay Sunday night followed by a loss next week to the Houston Texans plus the Ravens beat the Bengals and the Dolphins beat the Bills, the Browns would be in.
“We have our fate in our hands,” cornerback Denzel Ward said. “We just have to go and take care of business next week.”
