Cleveland Browns: 3 Make or break games for a playoff berth
By Sam Penix
Cleveland Browns vs. Steelers, Week 17
There’s no sugar-coating it; the Browns were dominated by the Steelers in Week 6. Cleveland’s defense actually kept them in the game longer than they deserved, but the wheels still fell off.
Much like in Week 1, both of the Browns lines were thoroughly outmatched by Pittsburgh, who is now 10-0. Their playoff fate will likely be finalized by Week 17, which could mean they would rest Ben Roethlisberger and other key starters for this game. That would make things much easier for the Browns if they needed to win to get in at this point.
However, if Pittsburgh were 15-0 at this point, the decision to rest the starters would become more complicated. The chance to become only the third perfect regular season team in NFL history may be too rare and special to pass up. If they’ve lost a game by then, it’s a no-brainer.
Either way, this could be a monumental task for Cleveland to beat the Steelers in order to qualify for the playoffs. That’s why it’s so important for them to take care of business against the Jaguars, Jets, and Giants, and two take a game from either Tennessee or Baltimore, ideally both.
Next. . dark
The race for the AFC Wild Card is crowded, but the Browns are in a good position to control their own destiny. We’ll find out if they’re up to the task, but it feels good to finally be in a real playoff race late in the season.