Is Browns Week 13 Matchup With Rams A Must Win?

With six games to go, the pressure is on for the now 7-4 Browns to clinch a playoff berth over their final six games of the regular season

The phrase "must win" gets used too non-nonchalantly these days in sports. Generally speaking, a game isn't a must win until the alternative result would mathematically eliminate a team from playoff contention.

At 7-4 heading into December the Browns aren't even close to having to worry about that right now, and frankly it would take a collapse of epic proportions for them to miss the playoffs entirely.

In assessing what lies ahead for Cleveland over the next six weeks though, their Week 13 matchup with the Rams starts to feel like a figurative must win game.

What awaits beyond this week's extended stay in Los Angeles are back-to-back matchups with the AFC South leading Jacksonville Jaguars and the "in the hunt," Houston Texans, who have burst on the scene sooner than anyone could have expected. They largely have rookie quarterback, C.J. Stroud to thank for that, as the No. 2 overall pick ranks top 10 in total passing yards, passing yards per game, yards per attempt, completions, touchdowns and QBR.

Stroud has the Texans humming and if not for Matt Ammendola's missed 58-yard field goal this past weekend, Houston had a shot at beating Jacksonville in overtime and taking over first place in their division.

The Jaguars are no slouch in their own right. Trevor Lawrence is solidifying himself as a top 10 quarterback in this league and has his team poised for another playoff run of its own.

Wins in Week 14 or 15 will not come easy for Cleveland given its own quarterback situation that remains up in the air with rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the concussion protocol. If the Browns were to lose those two upcoming matchups, plus the Rams game this weekend, they'd be 7-7 with just three games to go, leaving next to no margin for error the rest of the way.

Now, the final three games may first appear like a soft landing for Cleveland to round out the regular season. That stretch features matchups against the 4-8 Bears, the 4-7 Jets and a Week 18 showdown with the Joe Burrow-less Bengals. However, it's hard to assume any wins in this league.

Chicago, for example, has had its fair share of struggles but Justin Fields is a weapon who can have his way with opposing defenses if you're not careful. Additionally, it's starting to get some consistent defensive performances, now leading the league in rushing yards allowed per game and cracking the top 10 in total yards allowed per game.

As for New York, well, everyone is well aware of what may be different for the Jets by the time they square off with the Browns three days after Christmas. Their savoir of a quarterback Aaron Rodgers may make his triumphant return after rupturing his Achillies in Week 1. That'll make for a very Merry Christmas to that fan base if it happens.

Then there's the Bengals, which history suggests the Browns have no problem beating. Still, after decades of heartbreaking misfortune happening to this city's sports teams do you really want the Browns playoff dreams coming down to the final week of the regular season, against a back-up quarterback?

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The path to the postseason isn't quite as clear as it once was. And frankly, whether it's Thompson-Robinson or Joe Flacco starting at quarterback the rest of the way, can anyone really feel resoundingly confident about the Browns in any of these games?

With all that context in mind, that brings us back to Week 13 and a now crucial meeting with the 5-6, Rams. This game feels like one the Browns need in order to themselves in the drivers seat toward a playoff berth, but perhaps more importantly, keep the season from potentially spiraling out of control the rest of the way.