Browns Playoff Hopes: Week 15 games that could be of impact

Six more games this week that Cleveland will have a specific rooting interest in related to their playoff chances:

The Cleveland Browns Week 15 game is postponed and still very little information about how many players might get activated off the reserve/COVID-19 list for the game. No matter what, Cleveland needs a victory over the Las Vegas Raiders especially now that their Christmas Day matchup with Green Bay got harder on a short week.

The Browns also would like to see help from a number of teams throughout Week 15 to make their chase for a playoff spot easier. That started on Thursday Night Football with the Los Angeles Chargers losing.

One down, six to go.

Here are the rest of the games and Cleveland’s desired outcome:

Saturday Night

Patriots vs Colts

At 9-4 and a likely division champion, the Browns are more interested in seeing New England keep up their winning ways Saturday. Indianapolis currently holds the tiebreaker over Cleveland so a loss would help knock them behind the Browns and impact their conference record, a key tiebreaker.

Sunday 1 PM

Panthers vs Bills

While unlikely, Cleveland is rooting for Carolina to beat Buffalo Sunday. The Bills have been hot and cold all year but are likely to have a bounce-back this week against a weak Panthers team. Like the Colts, a loss would drop the Bills behind the Browns but not impact the tiebreaker due to them playing an NFC team.

Jets vs Dolphins

Perhaps not a big one now but given the unstable nature of the league could be a big one down the road. Miami sits one game out of the playoffs, as well as some tiebreakers, so a loss would all but eliminate them from the discussion.

Titans vs Steelers

Another game where the division leader is the team the Browns are rooting for. In this case, Cleveland wants Tennesee to come out on top and, almost, bury Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes.

Sunday 4:05 PM

Broncos vs Bengals

Two 7-6 teams that currently lose tiebreakers to the Browns, Cleveland is rooting for Denver to knock of Cincinnati to make the route to the AFC North easier. Cleveland will also always win the tiebreaker against the Broncos but a late-season loss to the Bengals could change their tiebreaker advantage.

Packers vs Ravens

This one is pretty easy and pretty big for the Browns. As we shared earlier this week, a Baltimore loss to the Green Bay Packers and a Cleveland victory in Week 15 puts the Browns at the top of the AFC North. While unlikely because they are currently tied with two other teams for the top seed in the NFC, a Packers win could also give them less motivation against Cleveland on Christmas Day.