Cleveland Browns Have a Legit Shot at AFC North Title Following Week 16

At 7-8 the Browns still hold a legit shot at bringing home an AFC North title.

The Cleveland Browns are 7-8 after 15 games and have just two games remaining on the season. Losing to the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day didn’t help the team’s playoff chances, but they are still very much alive. 

Cleveland has a Monday night football date with the Pittsburgh Steelers and then will host the Cincinnati Bengals, two games the team must win if they want a chance at the postseason.

Currently the AFC North looks like this:

Cincinnati Bengals 9-6

Baltimore Ravens 8-7

Pittsburgh Steelers 7-7-1

Cleveland Browns 7-8

There’s not a closer division in the NFL. All four teams have a legit shot at the division title and entering the playoffs. During week 16 the Steelers were whomped by the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens fell to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Cleveland still has a legit shot at the playoffs, but they have to take care of business over the last two games. Browns need to defeat the Steelers and then Bengals in back-to-back weeks. That is not it though, the Browns will need help elsewhere.

Next week the Bengals will play the red hot Chiefs. Chiefs will be the favorite and Browns fans should be rooting big for them. A loss in week 17 for the Bengals could set up a playoff like atmosphere in the final regular season game between the Bengals and Ravens.

With the Ravens losing in week 16, the Browns need them to lose at least once more, but two losses would help even more. Baltimore still has to play the Los Angeles Rams, then the Steelers. Losing either games should do the trick, but a divisional loss would help Cleveland the most.

If Browns can defeat the Steelers on Monday night football that will put the Browns ahead of them. Then, the Steelers beating the Ravens in the final regular season week would be the cherry on top.

It may seem like it after a hurtful loss to the Packers, but the playoffs aren’t far fetched for Cleveland at all. If Cleveland can take care of business the rest should take care of itself. You never want to have to rely on other teams, but that’s the point the Browns are at.

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Brandon Little is a writer for Sports Illustrated’s Browns Digest website and you can follow him on Twitter here. You can follow Browns Digest on Twitter as well here.

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