The Browns are mathematically still alive in the playoff hunt! While that has to be good news for the Cleveland faithful who get to say that sentence so late in the season, it’s safe to say they don’t need to keep that weekend open. But for those of you who still want to enjoy a different kind of fantasy after your fantasy team’s exit, come along for the ride.
Will Cleveland Browns qualify for 2018-19 NFL Playoffs?
Yes +1250
No -8000
Let’s start with the odds. Considering how difficult it would be to nail this pick, the best you can get for “yes” is +1250? That’s like hitting a blindfolded half-court shot and winning a 15 percent off coupon at Starbucks. To each their own, though.
Related: NFL Betting Guide | Week 16 Odds
It’s only possible for the Browns to make it as the sixth seed. The AFC North race is down to Pittsburgh and Baltimore. The fifth seed will go to the Chiefs or Chargers depending on who wins the AFC West. That leaves one spot for the Browns, who are in competition with the Ravens, Colts, Titans and Dolphins.
You’d think the Browns would need to win and the other teams need to lose for Cleveland to claim the final spot, right? Well, it’s not quite that simple, but let’s cover the simple stuff first.
Yes, the Browns need to win out. If they can beat the Bengals at home and the Ravens on the road, their 8-7-1 record could be enough to qualify if they get the help they need.
The first bit of help they need is the Ravens losing out. They’ll partially get a chance to handle that themselves since they face the Ravens in Week 17, but they’ll also need the Chargers to take them down this week.
Next, the Colts, Dolphins and Titans all need to lose in Week 16. All three have home games, as the Dolphins play the low-effort Jaguars, the Colts face the 5-9 Giants, while the Titans will go against Josh Johnson’s Redskins. They are favored by four, nine, and 10, respectively.
But let’s say the Browns beat the Bengals and each of those upsets take place. All the Browns need to do is beat the Ravens and hope the Week 17 Titans-Colts matchup ends … in a tie.
Yes, there’s no way for the Browns to make the postseason without a tie in the Titans-Colts game. If either team wins, their 9-7 record would put them ahead of Cleveland. But if all three teams finish 8-7-1, the Browns would to the head of the pack based on having the best win percentage in common games.
In other words, the Browns will almost certainly be out of the playoff hunt by the end of Week 16. They’re favored by eight against Jeff Driskel’s Bengals, but winning that game is only the beginning. They may even be out of it before their game starts since both the Titans and Ravens play on Saturday. Even if Cleveland gets all of the Week 16 magic they need, there’s still the matter of needing a tie in the Colts-Titans game the following week and winning in Baltimore, where they’re 1-9 since 2008.
As great of a story as it would be, a Browns playoff trip will remain in our imaginations until at least next season.
