DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum AFC Playoff Chase Continued

Just sort of curious but, how many people think the Browns can make a real push for a SB appearance?

I think that if we can get a few players back and healthy we have the horses to make a real run. I have always thought that any team experiencing the 1st time in the playoffs were bound to lose and that it was part of the growing process to get in and lose then once understanding what it takes to get to the dance they were better prepared for what they would face in the PO and in the SB to follow.

I see non of that in the current Browns team. They have come together and work and fight together like no team I remember. On top of all that in the middle of a pandemic. Home field this season isn't going to be the advantage it would be in a normal year either.

If we can get Harrison back and a fully healthy Ward on D and get and keep Teller on the field I think we have a great shot at winning it all. I have a clear picture of what we will face but this offense is off the charts when healthy. Between Bake, Chubb, Hunt, Landry, Hopper, Bryant, Higgens, Hodge, we are nearly impossible to stop.

Who else thinks we can get it done? Or am I just having a nice dream?

I don't think we have much of a prayer. Would love to come out of this with a playoff win to build on.

Defense wins championships... Cliche? Maybe in the case of the Chiefs, or back in the days of "the greatest show on turf", but we're not near that level yet. QB is not a finished product and WRs are still either "not a threat" or not yet ready for prime time.

The defense? Is terrible. I know we had strung together a few decent games before the recent rash of injuries, but there will be injuries in the playoffs as well. "Next man up" wouldn't have a roster spot on most of the teams heading to the post season.

I get what you're saying, and there is nothing wrong with dreaming - and yes - "any given Sunday". I'm just not getting my hopes up.

Sure. Why not? Somebody has to win it.

I refuse to look beyond tonight. But as well, let's not argue only about our own weaknesses, players lost to injuries, new injuries, and all the rest. Other teams are fighting the same war of attrition that we face. Stefanski is learning, and has shown an ability to troubleshoot slap-patch fixes that have worked. Woods needs help. But we are playing for something this late for a change. Which lesser goal should good fans favor/

Go, Browns. Just win, baby!

Any Given Sunday.

Unfortunately, our defense isn't that great and we need more "Any Given's" that statistical probability allows for. We are almost a shoe-in for the play-offs as long as we get it done tonight and next week.
After that, we *might* get one playoff win, but making it all the way there is a stretch, I think.

That said: when I look at the other teams headed to the playoffs from the AFC, I see a whole bunch of teams we can stand toe-to-toe with. I respect what these teams can do, but I do not fear the Titans, Ravens, Steelers, or whomever the 7th Seed will be. Only the Bills and Chiefs give me pause and there's a chance they play each other before we get to one of them..... so, an AFC Title Game appearance is not outright unthinkable, and if it isn't unthinkable, then why NOT think Super Bowl?

We certainly lack the defense to make a playoff run. I'm not even sure we have the consistency of offense yet. We certainly have seen flashes of it. We have made huge strides in the right direction and I'm very happy with the progress.

It causes me to think of the old saying, "We have miles to go before we sleep".

The journey we needed to travel in order to be NFL champions was a long, hard and arduous road to travel. We are well on our way along that journey but we still have some miles to go.

I love a good Robert Frost allusion

I just look at the 1980 Raiders. A wildcard team that everybody wrote off. This year, every single one of the elite teams have shown major flaws as we go down the stretch.

yeah, honestly the Bills look like the “best” right now. Even the Chiefs haven’t looked great compared to what they could

If we win the last three and look good doing it, I'll believe we can go all the way.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/upshot/cleveland-browns-nfl-playoff-picture.html

Interactive playoff chance site NY Times

Everyone we needed to lose won so lets do this ourselves

yeah, we’re going to have to win out .. and even if we do, we’d still need Miami/Baltimore to lose one

if we win out we don't need either team to lose one

No. If we win out we are in as the number 5 seed

?????

If we win out, we are 12-4.

The best record any WC contender had coming into this week was Indy, the same as us at 9-3, so they could also finish at 12-4 if they win out, but we beat them, so if we both win out, we get the #5 seed. (both 12-4)

No one else started any higher than 8 wins. That means that the best they could be is 11-5.

I suppose that the Raiders are still in in, but just barely.

Titans Play @ GB and @TEXANS - We Have Tie Breaker

Colts Play @ PITTSBURGH and @ JAX - We Have Tie Breaker

Dolphins @ RAIDERS and @ Bills

Rats NYG @ BENGALS

If We Can Take Out The NYG and NYJ we should be in the Playoffs

Per the site I posted above, IF we beat the 2 NY's then our chances are 99% in the playoffs

IF we lose all 3 the chance is 10%

IF we only beat the jets it's 78%

If we beat NYG & NYJ, and

(Raiders beat Miami) -OR-
(Steelers beat Colts) next week, we're in.

I think it can be done for a lot of the same reasons already mentioned. Maybe a little premature to talk about it which I'm sure you realize however, we are talking about playoffs so it wouldn't be totally unwarranted.

For me personally, presuming we make the playoffs, IF we win that first wild card game, I'm all in on declaring a Super Bowl run. I don't see any reason why anyone wouldn't be. Yes there are some powerhouses in there. Yes we may not match up so well because of our defense. But it will also be the closest to everyone being on the same level. Win streaks don't matter. PF and PA don't matter. Its all about going 1-0 week to week, something our team has clearly embraced.

I guess for me if we've managed to get out of that Wild Card weekend why hamstring ourselves? This team does have some major fixes to work on in the offseason, but overall they've clearly exceeded expectations. The thing about that is we won't know just how far or for how long they'll accomplish that until the last play of the season....

the Steelers we are in

ABSOLUTE, ridiculous, False!

I Guarantee, the Colts, Titans, and Dolphins are not all losing 2 more.

If anyone hasn't been paying attention,
The Ravens are going to finish 11-5

The Colts and Titans are not losing anything! And the Easiest path for NO Browns in playoffs is the Colts and Titans both a game better than the Browns.

The Dolphins aren't losing anything either!


Major Meltdown, prepare for either,
WIN ALL 3!

OR

NO PLAYOFFS!


prepare for that!

The Titans and Colts, (annual playoff participants 4 years in a row-ish, because of playing like Superman in these last weeks of the season, EACH OF those last 4 YEARS.

And since they each know the Browns have the tie-breaker, they understand the only way to get ahead of the Browns is to get a half game lead by week 17.

They don't get to just decide to do that; we have to falter while they do not in order for that to happen.

The end of it is this: we are still in control of our fate.
The other teams need help; if nothing else, in the form of us losing.

If we take care of our side of the street, all of the discussion is moo.

Exactly, but the only way to do that, since they, (Titans and Colts) are going to win all 3,

the only way for the Browns to keep up is to do the same which is Win all 3!

I've only addressed this to folks who claim the Browns can limp/back into the playoffs without Winning all 3.

It is Win or Go Home time.

well, if you get to say they're going to win all three, then I match that by saying we're going to win all three.

That's it, we're in.
Done deal.

Nope, they're going onside

We are still in the 5th spot. Woo!

10-4 Baby Still 5th in the Playoff Standings and if we beat the Jets and either the Colts Ravens Dolphins or Titans lose we clinch

Good news is if the Browns win the next 2, they get a playoff berth.

Browns can clinch this next week if they Beat the Jets and if
the Titans, or Colts, or Dolphins, or Ravens? lose.

Another good news,
Tonights Browns win over the Giants,
officially knocks the
Raiders and Patriots off the table of things in the way of the Browns and their playoff berth.

Pats were already eliminated.

So if we beat the dog-ass Jets, does anyone know who we need to lose, to clinch a playoff spot?

Titans, Colts, Dolphins or Ravens. Any loss puts us in playoffs. In fact, with a win against the Jets, those four teams would have to go 8-0 the next two weeks to eliminate us if we lose to the Steelers.

Ugh, I hate that there's even a chance cuz of the Refs ruining the MNF game. I know I nkow we won tonight just enjoy it, keep trying to go 1-0 but I'm still so annoyed lol

Fuhgettaboutit.

Dolphins face an angry Vegas team
Giants win or go home vs Ravens
Tennessee heading to Green Bay
Indy in Pittsburgh to face the Steelers

At least one of those teams is losing this week.

The Titans play Green Bay and Houston.

The Colts play Pittsburgh and Jacksonville.

The Dolphins play the Raiders and Buffalo.

The Ravens play the Giants and Cincinnati.

We are sitting pretty.

So, we have to WIN against NYJ ... and just have ONE of these teams lose?

Dolphins
Colts
Titans
Ravens


Beautiful

PG.
Still today, there are 8 teams;
1

Will be out and wondering what happened.

If nobody loses 2 of the last 2-or 3, the still most likely eliminated team appears to be,
Browns, Colts, Dolphins, Ravens.

And I struggle to find a way the Ravens (who I believe will win both) will be out until the Browns beat both the Jets and Steelers.

The Colts don't kick them out,
The Dolphins don't kick them out somehow, but the Dolphins kick the Browns out,
and the Titans and Bills don't kick the Ravens out, I didn't yet find a way the Ravens get kicked out if they win 2, unless the Browns beat both the Jets and the Steelers.

I guess we could get lucky and the Dolphins, or Titans, or Colts, would lose 2 times, but who believes that will happen.

I found a site searching the word playoffs, and it does all sports with so much info
helped me figure out the NHL race 7 years ago, so helpful, just have to select what sport/team to look at.