Browns Digest

Cleveland Browns Sneak Into Playoffs In New USA Today 2024 Projections

The Cleveland Browns are projected to go 10-7 and get the No. 7 seed in USA Today's newest NFL predictions.

Cole McDaniel

Dec 28, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) runs with the ball past New York Jets safety Tony Adams (22) during the first half at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) runs with the ball past New York Jets safety Tony Adams (22) during the first half at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
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The rookies reported to Berea on Monday and the rest of the roster is scheduled to report for the start of Cleveland Browns' training camp on Tuesday. With players around the NFL taking the field once again, it is a good time for season predictions to be released.

Nate Davis of USA Today released his projections for the new NFL season on Monday afternoon. In the AFC North, Davis picked the Cincinnati Bengals to win the division with a record of 11-6. That only landed them the No. 4 seed in the AFC. The Cleveland Browns finished a game behind the Bengals with a 10-7 record and earn the No. 7 seed. Both the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers were predicted to have winning records, but both miss the playoffs with the Browns snagging the last spot.

In addition to the entire AFC North finishing with winning records for a second season in a row, Davis did predict a rather intriguing playoff outcome to get to the Super Bowl. Here is how the playoff seeding and results turned out:

NFC Playoffs

Wild Card: No. 2 Packers over No. 7 Bears; No. 6 Rams over No. 3 Eagles; No. 5 Lions over No. 4 Falcons

Divisional: No. 1 49ers over No. 6 Rams; No. 2 Packers over No. 5 Lions

Championship: No 2 Packers over No. 1 49ers

AFC Playoffs

Wild Card: No. 2 Jets over No. 7 Browns; No. 6 Jaguars over No. 3 Colts; No. 4 Bengals over No. 5 Bills

Divisional: No. 1 Chiefs over No. 6 Jaguars; No. 2 Jets over No. 4 Bengals

Championship: No. 2 Jets over No. 1 Chiefs

Super Bowl 59

Jets over Packers

A Jets versus Packers Super Bowl would certainly provide a storyline surrounding quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Despite the outcome of the playoffs being something of note from this prediction, the finish to the season for the Browns is also interesting.

The Cleveland Browns have a tough schedule to end the season, so making the playoffs is certainly a good thing. This group has higher goals than just making the playoffs and getting bounced once again in the wild card round though. The Browns feel that they have the talent to make a Super Bowl run and if they can manage to stay relatively healthy this year, that isn't too far-fetched of an idea.

If the Browns were to beat the New York Jets in this scenario, how would things end up for Cleveland? Would they be playing the Packers in the Super Bowl?

The hypothetical situations are always enjoyable, but the team gets an opportunity to prove themselves on the field soon enough.

Published |Modified
Cole McDaniel

COLE MCDANIEL

Cole McDaniel is a contributor to both Browns Digest and Cavs Insider. He is the Vice President of Operations for Kee on Sports, most notably serving as lead NFL Draft analyst and the play-by-play voice for high school football. He can also be heard on numerous Baldwin Wallace University athletics broadcasts and has served as Cleveland SC's color commentator since 2019. Cole is a 2019 graduate of Baldwin Wallace where he also played soccer. 

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