A Browns Win Over Chargers Can Restore Hope In Once Lost Season

The Cleveland Browns Week 9 results could prove to decide what direction the franchise goes for the rest of 2024

Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith celebrates after sacking Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson during the second half at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Cleveland. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Meaningful December football may in the cards after all for the 2024 Cleveland Browns.

That seemed like a long-shot a mere two weeks ago. Back then the Browns were 1-6, coming off of a fifth straight loss and were the not so proud owners of the NFL's worst offense by a number of metrics.

Then came last week's stunning win over the Baltimore Ravens. It's only one win, but players in the locker room had said for several weeks prior that one win could be just the thing to turn around their misfortunes. There was a different attitude about the team in the locker room this week though. Any magical run starts with a team that internally believes.

In retrospect, one win and a new high flying offense led by Jameis Winston doesn't correct everything all at once for a behind the eight ball Browns team. They have their work cut out for them the rest of the way. But Sunday's matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers is a key inflection point in Cleveland's season.

Another loss with the NFL's trade deadline looming on Tuesday could force the Browns to play seller. Pivoting to draft pick accumulation mode as they start planning for 2025 and beyond. Nobody expected this franchise to be there at all this year, let alone in the first week of November. But for all intents an purposes, a 2-7 record would force their hand.

Conversely, a win over LA would get Cleveland to 3-6 overall record, but more importantly 3-2 in the AFC heading into their bye week. With eight games remaining after that, including seven more in the AFC, team brass may just talk themselves into staying the course and riding things out with Winston and most of the team's current roster intact.

Bye weeks are good for that – dreaming up all kinds of scenarios that could play out over the home stretch of the season. At the very least, a win over the Chargers allows the franchise to sell a couple weeks worth of hope that something like that can happen.

As things stand right now, Cleveland is 12th in the conference. A win over the currently 7th seeded Chargers, however, would keep them right in the mix with a handful of other teams in the mix for a wild card spot, including the Dolphins, Jets, Bengals and Colts.

That all becomes a moot point without a win.

That's the beauty of this week-week-to-week-week-to-week league, especially in a town like Cleveland. Fans will do all sorts of mental gymnastics to believe their football team has a chance.

That belief could very well be restored with a win over the Chargers. Suddenly, that meaningful December football wouldn't seem so crazy afterall.