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What needs to happen Week 15 to help Cleveland Browns playoff hopes

By Dan Justik

PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 01: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns walks to the field before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 1, 2019 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 01: Baker Mayfield #6 of the Cleveland Browns walks to the field before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 1, 2019 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /
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HOUSTON, TX – NOVEMBER 26: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans rushes out of the grasp of DaQuan Jones #90 of the Tennessee Titans in the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium on November 26, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX – NOVEMBER 26: Deshaun Watson #4 of the Houston Texans rushes out of the grasp of DaQuan Jones #90 of the Tennessee Titans in the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium on November 26, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

Texans defeat Titans

The Texans and Titans are tied for the AFC South lead and whoever wins Sunday will have a leg-up to win the division. With a Houston win on Sunday, the Browns would need the Titans to lose in Week 16 and Week 17 to jump ahead of them in the standings. Tennessee holds the tiebreaker over the Browns, so the Browns need to finish the season one game ahead of the Titans.

If the Texans defeat Tennessee on Sunday, the Browns will need the Titans to lose to the visiting Saints Week 16, and then lose their second matchup against the Texans Week 17. If those results were to happen, the Browns would have a 55 percent chance of making the playoffs, according to the New York Times playoff simulator.

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The Browns would need more help, however. The Browns still trail the Steelers in the standings, so Cleveland also needs to jump Pittsburgh in order to snag the final Wild Card. With the Steelers at 8-5, the Browns will need Pittsburgh to lose two of their final three games. The Steelers final three opponents are the Bills, Jets, and Ravens.

If this were all to happen, the Browns would have a 100 percent chance of reaching the postseason, according to the simulator.

Titans defeat Texans

If the Titans were to defend their home field and beat the Texans on Sunday, there would not be any dramatic changes for the Browns. Cleveland would still need the Steelers to lose two of their final three games.

The only difference for the Browns is that they would need the Texans to lose in the final weeks of the season. However, unlike the Titans, the Browns hold the tiebreaker over the Texans. So if Houston were to lose against the Titans on Sunday, Houston would only need to lose one more game before the Browns would jump them in the standings.

Compared to needing Tennessee to lose their final three games, it would be an easier path to the playoffs for the Browns if Houston were to lose Week 15.

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