4 reasons to believe that the Browns' playoff hopes are over
Hope springs eternal, they say, yet for Cleveland Browns fans, that geyser seems to be drying up sooner than expected. After a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers today, their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. So what went wrong in a season of such promise? We look at why the Cleveland Browns will probably miss the playoffs this season.
Browns' playoff dreams closer to being dashed
#1 - Better teams in their division
The Cleveland Browns find themselves rooted to the bottom of the AFC North with a 4-4 record. Their biggest problem is the quality of opposition in their division. The Cincinnati Bengals were the number one-ranked seed in the AFC before their loss to the New York Jets. The Baltimore Ravens are flying high thanks to Lamar Jackson and his crew. The Pittsburgh Steelers just inflicted a defeat on the Browns to climb above them. Put simply, the Cleveland Browns are just not good enough compared to the rest of their division.
Browns move to 4-4 on the season with loss to Pittsburgh.
#2 - Better teams in the AFC
The Browns are looking no closer to getting a Wild Card spot either because there are other teams in the AFC who are playing much better than them. In the AFC West, the Las Vegas Raiders and the Los Angeles Chargers have both lost just two matches and look on course to snag at least one of the Wild Card berths. That means there are just two more spots open along that route and that means the Browns will have to at least finish third in their division to stand a chance. Look at the first point so see why it is unlikely.
#3 - Quality of upcoming opposition
The Cleveland Browns might still have had a chance to right the ship if, outside of their conference, they were playing some weaker teams. But they have no such luck. In their remaining games outside the AFC North, they play the Patriots, the Lions, the Raiders and the Packers. Except for the hapless Lions, all teams will provide a stern test, with the Raiders and the Packers being firm favorites in any matchup with the Browns.
Toughest Remaining Strength of Schedule
2021 Season
Team Opp Win Pct Opp Record
1. Chiefs .612 41-26
2. Panthers .591 39-27
3. Vikings .589 43-30
4. Browns .588 40-28
5. 49ers .568 42-32
#4 - Misfiring offense
The root cause of all these problems ultimately comes down to the offense. The defense has carried the team all season. In their last outing, they limited the Steelers to just 15 points, yet just scored 10 of their own. In their last five games, the Cleveland Browns have failed to score more than 20 points in four games and have scored less than 15 points in three games. No defense can overcome such a handicap.