Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
After their 37-20 win over the New York Jets on Thursday night, the 11-5 Cleveland Browns not only clinched their second playoff berth since 2020 (the team had not made the playoffs before that since 2002), but they have an actual shot at the AFC’s one-seed.
Which means that the AFC playoffs might go through Cleveland.
Here’s how it needs to go.
This is WILD…The path to the #1 Seed for Cleveland doesn’t seem that crazy:
▫️The Browns need the Ravens to lose out & the Browns need to win out to win the AFC North
▫️If this happens & Dolphins lose in Week 18 vs BUF, Browns would finish as the #1 seed in the AFC.
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) December 29, 2023
So. If the Browns beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, January 7, and the Baltimore Ravens lose to the Miami Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Dolphins lose to the Buffalo Bills? Yeah. The Dawg Pound will be home base.
As Chase Daniel said, this is wild. The Browns currently have a league-high 26% of their salary cap on injured reserve, they’ve turned Joe Flacco into Kurt Warner, and the guys they were without due to injury against the Jets was… well, remarkable.
The #Browns have clinched a playoff berth with their win over the Jets. They now have 11 wins this year.
A reminder of all their significant injuries…
Offense:
• QB Deshaun Watson
• RB Nick Chubb
• OT Jack Conklin
• OT Jedrick Wills
• OT Dawand Jones
• WR/KR Jakeem… pic.twitter.com/wBDn2rddOD— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 29, 2023
If Kevin Stefanski doesn’t win Coach of the Year, there should be an immediate recount.
"It's a really, really good feeling."
Joe Flacco loves being back and playing for the @Browns. pic.twitter.com/ximKHTrwPn
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) December 29, 2023