The longest playoff drought in the NFL is getting one season longer, as the Cleveland Browns officially were eliminated from postseason contention on Saturday night.
The Browns, who suffered three one-score losses and had one tie over the first seven weeks of the season, were eliminated with the Tennessee Titans’ 25-16 victory over Washington at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, Saturday night.
Tennessee improved to 9-6 on the season, while the best the Browns can finish is 8-7-1 if they defeat the Cincinnati Bengals at FirstEnergy Stadium (Dec. 23) and Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium (Dec. 30).
“We are not there yet,” rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield said earlier this week when asked if this year’s team is starting to change the culture of the organization. “We are not satisfied, but there is progress, and that is something not to take very lightly.”
Although the Browns’ playoff drought now stands at 16 consecutive years without a postseason appearance, the 2018 season has been a positive one for a franchise that had a 1-31 combined record in 2016 and 2017.
Time and again, the 2018 Browns have proven that the words “same old” no longer apply, and the players added another broken streak to the list of reasons why this team is different, as last Saturday, they snapped an 11-game skid against the Denver Broncos that dated back to December 8, 1991.
In addition to the 17-16 road win over the Broncos, the Browns have broken a 17-game losing slide, a 19-game winless skid and NFL-record 25 consecutive road setbacks in 2018. Also, the Browns broke streaks for the most consecutive Sunday losses (36) and an 18-game winless slide within the AFC North Division.
“The less you have to worry about outside distractions and little details, and it is second nature, the better your team can be because they can focus on the real goal and get their job done,” Mayfield said. “You continue to build and eliminate the negative stuff, and I think that is where we are at right now. We need to continue to do it, not take it for granted and not be satisfied, but continue to do it.”
Having been swept by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens in each of the last two years, the Browns have the opportunity to sweep both the Bengals and the Ravens over the final two weeks of the year.
“The division is a big part of it,” interim coach Gregg Williams said. “That is another thing that is on that wall in there. We want to make sure that our presence is felt in the division. It is important. Yes.”
With Mayfield at quarterback, the Browns have posted a 4-2 record at FirstEnergy Stadium this year. Overall, the Browns are 4-2-1 at home this season, which gives the organization its first .500 mark at FirstEnergy Stadium since 2014 and first above .500 since a 7-1 showing in front of the home fans in 2007.
“To realize what we have and to continue to do that and build on it, not be satisfied with how we are doing, continue to find ways to improve and get better,” Mayfield said. “Ever sense I have been comfortable enough, kind of let my personality show and let all of that go, we have started to see everybody else do that, and it is a culture change.”
