The Browns are currently in the eighth seed and if the playoffs started today they would be out. But the playoffs don’t start today. If the Browns beat the Steelers on Sunday, they are in. It’s that simple. Win and you’re in. Other things can happen and they will automatically clinch, but those scenarios can be a bit dicey. So how did we get to this spot. Well it seems B.J. Goodson, Jacob Phillips, Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, KhaDarel Hodge and Donovan Peoples-Jones were all in a hot tube together at the team facilities. Goodson tested positive on Saturday morning and the rest were labeled close contacts. Most of the players were already on the plane to go to New Jersey when the team found out about Goodson. If this had happened one day earlier, the Browns could have adjusted the game plan. Some are asking why didn’t the NFL postpone the game like they did for the Ravens earlier in the season. The Ravens kept testing positive for several days and the Browns had no more positive tests on Saturday or Sunday.
As for yesterday’s game, yuk. There were only three positives. DT Sheldon Richardson, DE Olivier Vernon and TE David Njoku. That’s it, that’s the list. The Browns were out coached and out played. Sure they were missing eight starters and ten players total, but the Jets had only won one game prior to Sunday. The Browns couldn’t run the ball, reliable tight ends were dropping passes and Baker Mayfield couldn’t hang on to the ball. The Browns couldn’t get out of their own way. The offensive line allowed eleven pressures and three sacks. Kendall Lamm and Nick Harris were responsible for seven pressures and two of those sacks. The highest graded players according to Pro Football Focus were Joel Bitonio on offense (78.6) and Olivier Vernon on defense (88.0). As for the not-so-special teams, the Browns have a kicker problem. Head coach Kevin Stefanski says he still has confidence in Parkey. He might be the only one. I’m not going to talk about the officiating. It sucked as usual.
Moving forward, Wyatt Teller should be practicing Wednesday. Landry, Hodge, Peoples-Jones, Higgins and Wills have all tested negative and if they continue to test negative will be back Thursday. Goodson and Phillips will miss the Steelers game. The Browns signed WR Alexander Hollins off the Vikings practice squad due to the lack of players in that position group. Baring any setbacks, safety Ronnie Harrison should be back to practice this week and playing on Sunday.
As for the playoffs, here are the scenarios for the Browns to clinch Sunday. A Browns win or the Colts lose to the Jaguars or the Texans beat the Titans plus the Ravens beat the Bengals plus the Dolphins beat the Bills. You got all that. My head hurts. Just beat the Steelers and the Browns are in. As for the Steelers, there is some speculation head coach Mike Tomlin might rest some starters. The oddsmakers in Vegas seem to think he will. They made the Browns a 6.5 to 7 point favorite. The Steelers are one of the older teams in the NFL and were forced to take their bye week in week four and it was actually a bye weekend. So resting players would make sense. Also with a win, Pittsburg really doesn’t improve their playoff seeding. They could get to the second seed, but a ton of things would have to happen. All the Browns need to do to win is start fast, execute their offense and not blow coverages on defense. And for gods sake, don’t leave it up to our kicker. Everyone stay safe and Go Browns, it’s Steeler week.