4 Cleveland Browns who will decide playoff fate

3. Jarvis Landry, Wide Receiver

The Cleveland Browns loss to the New York Jets is the game that will haunt them forever should they fail to make the playoffs. Entering the game, the Jets had just one win on the season and Cleveland had 10 — meaning this should have been an easy win. However, it was anything but.

While the Browns did well to fight back from a 20-3 deficit to make it a 23-16 final score, they were completely out of whack the entire game. Of course, the biggest reason for that was the absence of their top four wideouts.

Without Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, KhaDarel Hodge, and Donovan Peoples-Jones, there was nowhere for Baker Mayfield to go with the ball when he did try and throw it downfield. Also with their passing threats out, the running game was non-existent. The Jets stacked the box and shut down the rushing attack, which forced Cleveland’s hand.

The good news is, they will have their receivers back with Jarvis Landry set to lead the unit. For Landry, last week had to be tough as it was the first missed game of his seven-year career. He’s always been a warrior who fought through every injury to play the game and on Sunday, he had to watch from home.

That likely lit a fire under him as the team’s leading receiver will be looking to get the job done with the playoffs on the line. He will also likely want revenge for his frustrating outing in Week 6 when the Steelers beat Cleveland 38-7.

Landry had just 40 yards on three catches in that game but was coming off a rib injury the week prior suffered against Indianapolis. Now, he will be the focal point of the passing game once again and how he performs will be huge in deciding this game.