CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns painted themselves into a corner as it pertains to a potential postseason berth with a 2-6 mark over the first half of the 2019 season, but a change in course and cleaning up mistakes has the team very much in the discussion for the playoffs.
The Browns have rattled off three straight victories, all of which at home at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, including a 41-24 win over the Miami Dolphins Sunday, and that has the team only one game under the .500 mark with five weeks to play in the regular season.
“If we end up making the playoffs, that would be 10 straight weeks that we’ve been in playoff mode,” safety Damarious Randall said following the win over the Dolphins. “I think we would be very, very well equipped for the playoffs.
“It’s just one win. That’s what we’ve been preaching since we lost to Denver. We know we have our backs against the wall and we have to win out.”
Denver Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay, right, tries to avoid Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (98) during the first half of a game at Empower Field in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, November 3, 2019.
Jack Dempsey/AP
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Standing in the way of the Browns evening their record at 6-6 are their archrivals in the AFC North Division, the Pittsburgh Steelers, whom they played just two weeks ago.
In that meeting, which the Browns won by a 21-7 count, a brawl occurred with just eight seconds remaining that drew suspensions and fines for multiple players, including Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett, who will miss at least the balance of the 2019 season for his role.
Although those emotions are still raw from the incident, the Browns are focusing on the task at hand, going 1-0 this week.
Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. squares up to catch a pass during the individual period of Cleveland Browns practice in Berea on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019.
Matt Florjancic
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“We are there for one thing and one thing only, and that’s to win the game,” Randall said.
“I just look at it as football. It’s a game. At the end of the day, we have one job. We get paid to do one thing, and that’s win games. That’s definitely our goal going into next week.”
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. added, “I don’t think it sets up anything. The Browns and Pittsburgh has been a rivalry for a long time, so it’s always going to be that. It’s a division game and a big game for both of us. We both need a win, and like we have been saying for the past couple weeks, it’s just 1-0. That’s the mentality.”
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) against the Denver Broncos during the second half of NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
AP
Despite being shorthanded, especially on the defensive front, where tackle Sheldon Richardson was the only regular starter available for the game, the Browns jumped out to a 28-point lead, and then, when the Dolphins made a run in the second half, they answered with three scoring drives.
Although the Browns expect a raucous “playoff atmosphere” when they go to Heinz Field in Pittsburgh for Sunday’s game against the Steelers, coach Freddie Kitchens expects a similar mindset from his players throughout the work week.
“I have confidence our team is going to stay focused,” Kitchens said. “I do not have a doubt in it.”
Richardson added, “Whatever it may be, we’re ready for it.”
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