The Cleveland Browns broke a 17-year playoff drought last season. They will not be making it a postseason streak in 2022.
Cleveland had a very Cleveland season to squander the momentum of last year’s 11-win campaign. Its former No. 1 overall pick quarterback regressed into a trigger-shy gunslinger. The team’s presumptive WR1’s dad complained about his usage and eventually helped him earn his release. A rash of positive Covid-19 tests took out a third of the roster days before a pivotal (and winnable) game against the Raiders that helped seal the Browns’ playoff fate in Week 15.
That doesn’t mean Cleveland has nothing to play for on Monday Night Football. With a win in Week 17, the Browns can knock its arch rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, out of the playoff race AND spoil what is likely to be Ben Roethlisberger’s last game at Heinz Field.
The Steelers are technically still in the postseason picture at 7-7-1, though they’d need more than just wins in their final two games. Pittsburgh has limped through 2021 behind underwhelming play from Roethlisberger and a surprising regression from the defense that carried it to 11 straight wins in 2020.
There’s still time to right that ship and lock down a win in this season’s home finale, but it won’t be easy. The Browns aren’t just playing for pride; they’re playing to make the team they hate as miserable as possible. Let’s talk about it. All odds via Tipico.