A Browns Fan's Rooting Guide To NFL's Divisional Round

With the Browns out of the playoffs it may be hard to turn on the TV and watch the remaining rounds of the NFL postseason, but if you can bear it, here are some teams Cleveland fans can support

Browns fans have had a week to mourn the end of a thrilling and memorable 2023 season that produced the team's first playoff berth since 2020. While the teams early exit from the postseason was unfortunate, the show goes on in the NFL as the stage is set for this weekend's Divisional Round of the tournament.

Tickets will be punched to conference championship weekend and even with the Browns out of the equation there's only so many weeks left to feed your football fix. With that in mind, here is a guide of teams Browns fans should have no problem rooting for this weekend:

Buffalo Bills

Of all the opposing fan bases out there, it feels like Bills fans and Browns fans share a kinship of sorts. Both teams play in rust belt cities and have a long notable history of being tormented by this cruel, cruel game. The Bills are an easy team for Clevelanders to latch onto and support the rest of the way. They have a chance to get the monkey that is Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City off their back – a team that has tormented them in the playoffs in recent years – if they get a win and this time they have home field advantage. I'm sure there are plenty of Browns fans sick of seeing the Chiefs win as well so that's perhaps another reason to join the Bills Mafia this weekend.

Detroit Lions

In other sports Cleveland fans are taught to hate Detroit and everything about Michigan really, so this one is a bit confusing. But similar to the Bills, the Lions represent a team that has experienced a relatable misery to Browns fans – look no further than their first playoff win in 32 years last weekend. There's also Dan Campbell who is a lightening rod of a head coach that is a lot of fun to root for. The teams along Lake Erie need to stick together.

Houston Texans

Yes, they just beat your beloved Browns, but there are a couple reasons why supporting Houston makes sense – if you can bear it. First and foremost, they're playing the Ravens and Browns fans hate the Ravens. Secondly, C.J. Stroud is one of the best stories in football after taking the league by storm as a rookie. Stroud also comes with plenty of familiarity from his days at Ohio State. Lastly, the further Houston advances in the playoffs the better that Wild Card loss looks for the Browns. Right?

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

You know why this team makes the list. Baker Mayfield is still a polarizing figure for Browns fans and that also makes this entry controversial. There is a healthy contingent of fans who swore they'd support Mayfield wherever he goes until the end of time. There are others who refuse to cheer for him with the simple argument that if he's not with us he's against us. It's complicated and there is a lot of context involved in any individual fan's perspective on Mayfield, but it's safe to assume some pseudo Bucs fans exist within the Browns fan base because of his mere presence on the team.