The Browns are still in contention for the AFC North and the top seed in the AFC, thanks to one of the league’s best defenses and interim starting quarterback Joe Flacco.
Despite Baltimore’s rout of San Francisco, Cleveland’s division title and first-round bye hopes remain alive and well.
With a 10-5 record entering the final two weeks of the season, the Browns are firmly in control of the AFC’s top wild-card spot. They’ll need a little luck to beat the Ravens for the AFC North title and the top seed in the conference, but it’s not impossible.
WEEK 16 POWER RANKINGS: Where do the Browns stand?
Here’s how Cleveland can still win the division and the AFC championship.
The Browns’ playoff chances
How the Browns can win the AFC North
The Browns can only win the AFC North if they win and the Ravens (12-3) lose.
Cleveland will host the Jets in Week 17, then finish the season in Cincinnati against the Bengals, who are shorthanded. The Browns’ best finish without two wins is an AFC wild card spot.
Even with two wins, the Ravens must lose back-to-back home games to the Dolphins and Steelers to finish the season.
Because the Browns and Ravens split their two meetings this season, the tiebreaker would go to the team with the better record against the division.
In this scenario, if Cleveland wins and Baltimore loses, the Browns (4-2 against the AFC North) would win the division by one game over the Ravens (3-3).
How the Browns can secure the AFC’s top seed
The Browns could be in contention for the No. 1 overall seed in the conference and a first-round bye now that they have hypothetically won the AFC North with two wins and two Ravens losses.
However, they will require assistance from the Bills in Week 18.
In this scenario, the Ravens lost to the Dolphins in Week 17 while Cleveland fans were wearing teal and orange in support of Miami. The Dawg Pound will be hoping for a Dolphins loss at home to Buffalo in Week 18 to clear the way for the No. 1 seed.
The Browns and Dolphins would both finish 12-5 overall, but Cleveland would take first place because it (9-3) had a better record against AFC teams than Miami (8-4) did.
So, in order to secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC, the Browns would need:
To win at home against the Jets in Week 17 and on the road against the Bengals in Week 18.
The Ravens will lose at home to the Dolphins (Week 17) and the Steelers (Week 18).
The Dolphins will beat the Ravens at home in Week 17 before falling to the Bills on the road in Week 18.
Browns’ upcoming schedule 2023
| Date | Opponent | Record |
| Dec. 28 | vs. Jets | 6-9 |
| Jan. 7 | at Bengals | 8-7 |
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