Playoffs!

Playoffs!!!!!!!!!!

Playoffs

Playoffs?

I'm talking bout playoffs. . . .

From 0-17 to 11-5 and the playoffs!!!!

PLAYOFFS

P-L-A-Y-O-F-F-S

18 years..... 18 freaking years

PLAYOFFS!

I was a young 46 years old in 2002

Hell Yes!! It's party time! To those of you who want to whine about how much our first year coach sucks and that we don't deserve to be here.....BITE ME!

WE'RE IN!!!!

Playoffs!

Love these Browns!! What a great year!!!

My condolences to the Profits of Doom on the Gameday thread.

I’m thrilled with Stefanski, and think Baker will be our guy. He was made for Cleveland.

We need a good draft and then the sky is the limit for this team.

What a fun year.

j/c - I don't care how it looked, man this feels good.

Baker played well, I feel we didn't really show a lot on offense which was almost an undoing. I felt for Jackson on the backend - he made a couple of plays but the Steelers picked on him. We need Ward back to have any chance.

Sucks about Vernon and DPJ. Garrett is being managed but isn't being quite as impactful as pre-covid, which is completely understandable.

I just want us to be in it when the 4th Q starts next week. Like us today, they will get twitchy. Go Browns - 18 years - my God!

At minimum we get a bonus game with our playoff berth this year! And everybody is 0 for 0 going into the playoffs. And net week is a new week and new game in the era of covid, anybody could win. Lot's of things can happen during a week this year, just look at our last two weeks.

We might get guys back and straight blow them up net week!

we won 11 friggin games this year... don't care who we played or how we won.... we won 11 games... and we're in the playoffs... which is going to be great experience for our young team no matter what happens...

What a satisfying feeling.

We just need to keep going 1-0....

agreed. Even if we had lost, calling for his Head is stupid. Even though I still and never will understand using Hunt at certain times. Hunt wasn't doing much where Chubb was eating!

11-5. Wow.

Playoffs. 18 years in the making.

First time the Browns have won the final game of the year since 2009.

First time since 2007 the Browns did not lose consecutive games in a season.

First 11 win season in over a quarter of a century.

Two four game win streaks.

Gameday walk-throughs in a hotel parking garage.

Covid run amok.

We're are in the damn playoffs!

I love this team.

Best thing to hope for is getting ward back and our linebackers. If I’m haslam I buy everyone bubbles this week

Good Lord, that was excruciating. But still ... PLAYOFFS, BABY!!!

Good to be there. One step closer, but remember, anything less than a SB victory is a failed season.

That said....YES!!

So next weekend...you can only have 1, an OSU championship, or a Browns wildcard win, what say you?

PLAYOFFS!!!

THANK YOU SASHI BROWN!

who's OSU?

Browns win cuz it's VS the Steelers and I've had an OSU Championship in my lifetime already.

Both would be better :-D

I would say that you are evil beyond words for offering that choice.

we talkin about playoffs?

Took me a long time to realize - but it sort of dawned on me during the game ... I used to think the Browns Fans were the best in football. But I think we might be the worst - or maybe it's just this board that has bad Browns fans.

I took a peek in the Game Thread when the Steelers were about to get the ball back down 8 .... nearly every post was how we had lost the game at that point. We had posters saying Stefanski is a terrible coach and implying he shouldn't be the coach next year. Others saying he shouldn't call plays next year. We had posters saying Rudolph is a better QB than Baker........ Y'all are so fickle.

I have been saying for weeks the playoffs don't matter. And they don't ... we struggled to beat Pittsburgh who have been struggling terribly - and they rested their stars to get healthy. . . . . But it does feel good to be in the playoffs - and it feels great to potentially have the chance to meet a full strength Pittsburgh and possibly knock them out.

As for the play calling and Stefanski ... just my opinion, but I think KS was holding as much back from the game as he could to save for next week. That and a week of extremely limited practice.

11-5... I love that.

18 years, 18 years, She got him locked up for 18 years.

Some gold digger song lyrics, in my head.

18 years, 18 years, --

In the voice of Flounder Dorfman “Wow...this is great!”

No matter what happens from here on out the Browns are back, 11 wins, Playoffs, and with a little help with our defense we will become a true title contender, a New Culture Has Evolved in Cleveland

1 Down 4 to go...................................

We are in.

We are 1 - 0. We get to strap up and play again while a lot of folks will not.

We need to improve, but some more help will not hurt us at all.

Thank the Elf we are in!

Just win, baby!

Damn 11 wins and the playoffs.

After all that has transpired this year.

A new head coach and staff. All the crap with Covid.

We left two victories on the field.

And after all that. We have people on this Board saying we backed in. Talking about golf claps.

Unbelievable.

But Nothing is stopping me from totally enjoying this day.

Not for this team. For the Browns just making the playoffs is a GREAT season. In the future, yes the SB has to be the goal. But I am thrilled with this season no matter what happens next week. We won 11 games and made the playoffs. The last time we were in the playoffs Butch Davis was the head coach. This has been a spectacular season during the worst year in our lifetimes.

I am totally exhausted after watching the game.

For those who say we won ugly or that that game was excruciating, I'd say what we've been through over the past 18 years has been ugly and excruciating.

Joe Garagiola once said about MLB playoffs: no such thing as backing in.

Same deal in the NFL.

11 Wins, most wins since 1994!

If I had the authority I would name this quote of the year just for the reference to that movie. Since I don't, I will say "awesome post".

I feel happy for Joel Bitonio.

2014: 7-9
2015: 3-13
2016: 1-15
2017: 0-16
2018: 7-8-1
2019: 6-10

Pettine, Jackson, Williams, Kitchens, Farmer, Sashi, Dorsey, etc.

Dolphins only have the tie breaker against the Colts because,

The Dolphins beat the Raiders on that Thursday night, or other day night game, two weeks ago.

Where Fitzpatrick came in late, and where
Derick Carr scored with less than 1 minute to go

and in 7 seconds the Dolphins moved back down to field goal range.
And the Dolphins won on the last Field goal.

If not, then, maybe, (not completely sure)

then the Colts game vs Jaguars would not be even necessary for the Colts to have to win, for the Colts to get in.

well if they were tied by record of course.

This. Boom.

I didn't like it but it was consistent with the entire year...can't put teams away. Always comes down to the wire.

But we're in and that monkey is off the team's back. I think they play loose next week and surprise.

11-5 and the PLAYOFFS!!

What - no loser references this week.

We won that's what matters. It was a tough week for KS not knowing who we would have playing and who not. Our facility was closed 3 times this week so I'm sure it made game planning hard. I'm sure the players were feeling the lingering effects of covid and others were emotionally drained. Hopefully, we will get our guys back next week and be able to compete with their best.

I feel the same, friggin drained! I just layed down, I bet I Paced a couple thousand steps. It will never be easy for us, However I will be sporting the Browns Gear at work tomorrow. Go Browns

Almost.

First off.. Cut Sendejo! (gotta keep the lucky rabbits foot goin....)


-I can't believe how close Carlson came to blowin it! How Brownsie!

-Stefanski has a real pair on him. Letting Baker run for 2 yards to get the first down was the LAST play he should have called but...


IT FREAKING WORKED!!!!! PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!!!!!!

This reminds me of a joke, from David Cross, he makes, about religion, for some reason he makes a point by saying
" I can believe there's only two people on earth, blank, blank, and Joe Garagiola,"

and I don't know why he picked him, I don't know who the heck that is.

Indeed. Our offense did feel a bit constrained. Chubb looked like he was in for a huge day but we still ended up a bit more pass heavy than I cared for.

Jackson deserves a lot of credit. It wasn't a stellar performance, but the guy was resilient. I think it was awesome he was able to get the last word with that pass break up on the 2 pt conversion.

Karl Joseph had another really good game.

j/c:

Agreed Rish. We can't put teams away even the bad ones. It always comes down to the wire even against the bad ones. We always give up long plays and points right before the half and our tackling isn't good. We are in the playoffs and I'm as happy as anyone but we won't get far playing like this.

It feels really good to be waiting to see when we play next week while other teams are still fighting for spots

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/20...ns-ravens-colts


According to this link we play Steelers Sunday 4:17.


Does anyone know this is for sure that we play Sunday?

Going to be a great week at work.

Was going to be a really long week if we lost.

I feel like asking my boss for more work now!

We'll play when it's most convenient for Pittsburgh.

We won’t know until after the SNF game.

Isn't it a little early to be pulling an April fools day ?






What!!!! It's for real ?






Beat the Steelers to get in the Playoffs ?








HELLLLLLLLL YEAH !!!!








LET's Dance...

As soon as they announced we had lost 12 straight game 16s to the Steelers I was sure we were going to lose.

I don't disagree - but the D has had warts all season long and we were starting a CB who was playing in his first ever NFL game .... I'm just wondering what people's expectations are?

I am thrilled to be in the playoffs, really I am. And I don’t want to be a downer. Can someone make the case for why we have a shot at Pittsburgh and against Big Ben next week after we barely pulled this off? Gimme something to hang on to!

Maybe we’ll have more than one day of practice this week?

A belief in the good Lord and a lot of prayers!!!

j/c:

Thanks, Odell, for helping us get there. Worth every penny (and first rounder)!

The team was playing tight and too amped up with so much on the line. The players feel that black cloud and monkey on their back whether they admit it or not. They'll play loose next week. Everyone will expect them to win. We are going to get chip on his shoulder Baker.

I'm looking for a close game with a chance to win at the end if Ward is back.

Big bens elbow is done.

no that’s just saying that is when they updated the page. The times will be announced after SNF

I was watching the game highlights. Rudolph does throw a better deep ball than Ben at this point. At least that's what it seems to me.

Maybe I am being optimistic ... I think / hope KS was playing very conservatively (as in not showing new plays - not as in running most of the time) ..... I think next week you will see everything we have. It may come down to having Ward back? It may not matter anyways ... our D has serious flaws. But I think if we can limit TJ's impact - we have a serious shot.

Feels good to finally be in, we all deserve this!! I was hoping for .500 ball...and got a playoff birth!

I want to believe Ski has big brass ones, big enough to believe he we can win a game while handicapping ourselves.

ANY success we have in the playoffs has to go through Chubb (and Hunt). Chubb looked like he was tee'd up for a 200yrd day. I know it won't be that easy next week but our Run game is the center of this Offense, not Baker.

Did you see the Steelers play the last 5 weeks? Other than 1 good half against Indy, they were not playing good football.

STEELERS SUCK?!

yep, he gives their WR more juice down field ... which is what Pittsburgh has always done.

Roethlisberger weirdly started throwing deep successfully last week when the Steelers were down to the Colts.

They get two HUGE pieces back on D next week ... that's a much bigger impact for us than them getting Ben back imo.

And I do believe that Stefanski believes ...

They never make it easy on us. But a win is a win, 11-5, playoffs. Browns in the playoffs and tOSU in the Championship. What a great Holiday weekend!!

Wait, what? Is Oklahoma State in the Championship game?

Been waiting a long time for this. Was on pins and needles at the end. But we are in. A corner has been turned. Hopefully this means the staff and FO will be here for a long time.

All my Steeler friends are saying we should thank them for sitting starters. Watching the game, the announcer Charles Davis kept mentioning all the players sitting for Pittsburgh, but not once mentioned all our defensive players that were out.

Just a question, on the play that DPJ got hurt, did the defender not lead with his helmet, spearing him in the ribs? Also was he not pulling his facemask on the way down?

On to next week, and a full force Steeler team with tons of playoff experience. Imo, not having Goodson for that game will be huge. He is not great, but he makes plays. Also Chad Smith, I think that is his name, the other LB. Wilson is the worst tackler on the team. He blows into the play, and misses tackle after tackle. Phillips is a much better player, and I believe will be a starter next year.

Pulling Chubb was a good move. Save him for next week. 108 and a TD was a good days work. Kevin had a good game plan IMO. Tip of my hat to Mitchell, he is a baller. The one thing that bothered me, was Myles was a non-factor in my eyes. With Vernon getting hurt, there is a possibility he might not play next week.

I'm happy, but I'm not as excited as I thought. Playing them again next week, and probably still missing key defensive players, it is going to be an uphill battle.We are going to need Ward big time.

But we're in, and anything can happen. The corner has been turned for this organization.

because beating Mason was about the equivalent to beating Ben. Our D sure did make him look like Ben shredding us up. He's not who scares me tho, its their D line that they're gonna have back next week. Watt was smothered on Baker like gravy to mash potatoes.

I sure thought so.

It was def. a face mask by the other defender. I'd have to watch it again to see if it was leading with the helmet.

I DO know, in real time, DPJ was injured. The way his head snapped back........first thought was concussion. A head isn't supposed to do that.

I don’t think I’ve ever been more nervous as when the onside kick was laying on the turf

Charley Hughlett been through it, too.

Buckeyes championship of course! Browns had a good season, but Ohio state has a very real shot at a title. With the defense that the Browns have played this year,the best we can hope for is not getting blown out.

Now, if the question is Buckeyes National Championship or Browns Super Bowl win, it's not even close....



Also, maybe both the Browns and Kitchens in the playoffs? Who woulda thought it?

Congratulation on the win! See you next week. Should be fun.

PLAYOFFS!

In general I would agree but for us this is a success no matter what.

All the misery, heartbreak, failed qb's, and coaches that we've had. We finally have a cohesive unit and are building some continuity. It's a success no matter what in my eyes and we finally have a future to build on.

This is a much better roster than the last time we made it, the 2002 team was just a bunch of free agents brought in and a lot of lucky wins. this team was built through drafts and we have a legit young exciting coach who usually calls a good game. Although I questioned alot of his calls today I'm sure there was a reason.

Just a lot to look forward to!

Kitchens isn't in... they need Washington to lose to get in...

Odd.

Baker ran for 44 yards.

And that is what won the game.

Just tell Big Ben to be nice

i just said this too .. it may be the only time in his career where he has that impact with his legs

j/c...

Goosebumps.

I am legit happy for Jordan Cameron. Or as he’s known in my house “Mr. Elin Nordegren”.

love it

Lol.

Pencil in that 4:00pm Sunday slot, lo siento Sunday night.

They just said Sunday night.

I hear our game is in the Sunday night time slot.

Nope!
That's when I knew the jinx was broken!!!

Wild Card Saturday

Colts @ Bills 1pm ET

Rams @ Seattle 4:40 ET

Buccaneers @ NFC East 8:15 ET

Wild Card Sunday

Ravens @ Titans 1:05 ET

Bears @ Saints 4:40 ET

Browns @ Steelers 8:15 ET

First off a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to the Team, Staff and Support Staff!

Then Congrats to the Fans!

On to next game!

Has anything definitive been said about DPJ's status?

He has a concussion. That's all that will be said.

Outstanding!!

greedy saying on twitter that he’s trying to play LOL

We need all hands on deck next week.

Jeff Schudel
@jsproinsider
·
21m
Playing the Steelers on Jan. 10 means the #Browns will get Denzel Ward back from COVID along with linebackers B.J. Goodson and Malcolm Smith plus safety Andrew Sendejo. No Ward or Smith if the game were Saturday

j/c...

It was a TD.

I THOUGHT IT WAS!

I remember seeing the replay and thinking “hmm, maybe my eyes were way wrong”

The angle they showed, and they only showed the back camera angle...he looked clearly out...but that image there looks legit, makes you wonder that coaches probably didn't see this angle as well.

What time in the game was this? 9:48

J\C

Thank you Browns! Playoffs!! It wasn't pretty but I don't care. Hopefully we will be near full strength for next week's game.

Yes, thank you Browns!
The players especially - but also the coaching staff, support staff and everybody else. It’s been a long time.... I wore my Baker T-shirt today, a Christmas present, and I’ll be wearing it next Sunday, too.

Thanks, guys, everyone on the team.
Let’s beat them again!

Fan in the stand captured it as well.

Ref right there staring at his feet, no way he missed that.

I'M SHOCKED, ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED THAT THE REFS MADE A CALL THAT WAS WRONG AND HELPED THE STEELERS

guess what?

PLAYOFFS!!!!

So we play on Sunday at 8:15. Let's go Browns!

Not sure if the ball has been caught from that angle.

I miss you, Jordan Cameron!

That is why I said YES!

No doubt failure comes in degrees. You have win 11 regular season games and make the playoffs...then fail...which we may not....or you have 0-16 Hue Jackson failure. No doubt one is better than the other, so yes, this season has been defined no matter what we do moving forward.

Just a note of caution to those younger dawgs who haven't really experienced playoffs at this point, or since they were maybe 10 years old. Losing in the playoffs hurts way more. It makes for a LONG off season.

When you suck, at least good draft position gives you some hope. When you are picking at 20 or higher, draft talk isn't as fun. It's much harder to discuss because you don't have any real idea who might be there. When you pick 4th, you know one of these 4 guys is going to be there. You don't have any real degree of certainty until teams are on the clock and you are about 3-4 picks away from your pick.

The talk turns more in to positional needs, but the further down the draft board you slide, the more best player available comes in to play. You may not be able to incorporate needs as much in to the pick as you can when picking near the top.

That is too funny...YES, THE PLAYOFFS!...

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the team, the players and the coaching staff for the outstanding job they turned in under some unreal and unusual conditions, never experienced before this year.

Coach Stafanski and his entire coaching staff along with all involved in attempting to keep the team covid free...congratulations on making the playoffs.

Personally, for my family, it has been an entire generation since the Browns have made a playoff appearance. So far Jan.2021 is starting out just fine.

JC....just to talk about some of the game, one play really impressed me.

Maybe mid 1st quarter, Phillips was like a heat seeking missile going to his right to stuff the runner on a sweep. The kid was flying.

Very impressive.

Thank you Kevin Stefanski.

First time head coach who got the job when he couldn't even shake hands with his players.

Make no mistake this was a difficult job. So many new things to deal with. No way to prepare yourself for what went on this season.

Covid was a major obstacle. Injuries by the truck loads.

Never lost two in a row. Amazing accomplishment.

Thanks again Kevin.

You got my vote for coach of the year no matter who wins that.

Well said Mac ... I agree with you.

I couldn’t help but think of my grandfather, who watched EVERY snap in his life. We had a tradition of golfing and/or going to breakfast every Sunday, and then watching the game.

He passed away 5 years ago ... he’d have been so happy.

Or my uncles and father who are in their 50s and 60s ... last time the Browns were relevant they were younger than I am now!

I know every family has similar stories.

NFL Wildcard Weekend lines (BetOnline):

Colts @ Bills -6.5
Rams @ Seahawks -4.5
Buccaneers @ Washington +7.5
Ravens @ Titans +3.5
Bears @ Saints -9.5
Browns @ Steelers -3.5

I am THRILLED to be in the playoffs again! The last time we made the playoffs was a wife and two kids ago for me.

On a side note, has there been any explanation as to why we went away from Chubb in the game?

Wow. I was a college junior last time in 2002. Nearly half my lifetime ago now.

Wondered the same...Seems like once he hit the 1k yard mark, we pulled him mostly from the game...some say maybe coach didn't want to show his cards with Chubb? Maybe...

Outside thought I was thinking perhaps Hunt has some contract incentives and perhaps trying help him obtain those as well? Probably not likely though...just guess work

was going to post something about this. I know they like to rotate the backs, And I heard some say they was trying to save Chubb but it was cut way to close if this is the reason. Chubb was getting 8yd clips even at the end when the Steelers were trying. Hunt could barely gain 2yds. It was painful watching! I was screaming PUT CHUBB IN THE FREAKING GAME!!!!!

And zero fans will be in Heinz Field...

Yeah, I was saying the same thing. Their running styles are so different.

Pittsburgh obviously comes off the snap very aggressive on defense. Hunt hits the hole very aggressively. With him, it seemed like two forces just going right toward each other, with Pittsburgh coming out on top.

Chubb is much more patient, which I think goes well against Pittsburgh. They come in aggressively, which usually means they have lost integrity somewhere, and he is able to find that flaw with his patience. It coincides well with the outside zone scheme.

It happened yesterday, and it has happened all season. You see him get chunks of yards at 3-8 yards, then all of a sudden, boom! Defense gets tired, lazy, or overly aggressive and they shoot the wrong gap and he rips off a 30+ yarder.

He's also much more fun to watch when he gets into the secondary. You can almost sense those CBs and safeties just going "Aw, crap!"

If I'm not mistaken Pittsburgh will allow some fans for the playoff game. Not sure how many.

yeah.. I had just gotten married adn didn't have my two boys.... just crazy... what i'm really excited about too is the foundation that has been created (finally). We have a young team and young coaching staff... this could be a solid team for years... probably is the AFC North is going to be tough for several years to come.

@Kareemhunt7
absolutely erases Avery Williamson to spring
@bakermayfield
for the 1st. As Baker pointed out in his post game presser, you could hear the crack of the pads from the damn moon. He smacked him into next weeks playoff game.

https://twitter.com/_CLEology/status/1346136348919554048

Hunt’s block was exceptional

If you're ahead when the final whistle blows, you put them away. I'm amazed that people care more about style points than wins. Simply amazing.

You can see the determination from the get go on that one...Him and Conklin did an exceptional job on that...For a RT to go chase down a CB for a block, no small feat.

Starting yesterday, style points no longer matter(ed).

Win and you keep playing. Doesn't matter how you win.

Dan O has been a big supporter for Baker and our franchise ... good to see

I think it's more a calls-it-like-he-sees-it guy. He was pretty critical earlier in the year when Baker wasn't looking so great.

%$#%&&#. (Is that in jest, I can't tell.)

My bad I didn't catch that part. I was celebrating a little too much yesterday if you know what I mean. Lol

Jim Donovan on the Dan Patrick Show (Full Interview) 1/4/21

The Steelers lost 4 of their last 5 games. Their one win was a come from behind victory. Often a team needs a couple lucky breaks to go there way to pull off that kind of comeback. Yes, they sat some starters but they have looked very beatable with their starters in the games. They looked bad against the Bengals and Redskins. Not saying we are going to win but the Steelers are probably the best chance we have to pick up a win.

#CLEhype, hit it hard, makeithurt,now-