How the Browns Can Be Playoff Contenders Instead of Just Playoff Spoilers

November 19, 2013   ·   Andrea Hangst   ·   Jump to comments

Though the Cleveland Browns have a 4-6 record, the same as division-mates the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, they are in third place in the AFC North thanks to tiebreakers.
The murky situation in the AFC North is only compounded by a similar murkiness in the AFC as a whole. A whole slew of teams are 4-6, 4-7 or 5-5 through the first 11 weeks of the season, leaving the sixth playoff seed in the conference open for the taking for any of them. 
As such, the opportunity exists for the Cleveland Browns to make their way into the playoffs. They don't have to simply serve as spoilers for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the only divisional team they face in the remainder of the season (twice, as it were) or for the New York Jets, who are presently at 5-5 and the owners of that sixth AFC playoff berth. 
Of course, this will require wins—as well as a few well-timed losses by the other teams in the AFC. The Browns don't have to run the table to get the sixth see...

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