Joe Flacco and Myles Garrett were among a host of big names getting a rest with Cleveland already locked in to the AFC’s No. 5 seed.
CINCINNATI — It was billed all week as a meaningless game, essentially a glorified exhibition.
The Browns certainly played like it, although they likely won’t dwell on it too much. They have their eyes on a far bigger prize.
With its playoff positioning already locked up and most of its top starters getting a well-needed rest, Cleveland wound up on the wrong end of a 31-14 against the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday afternoon. The Browns finish the regular season 11-6 as the AFC’s No. 5 seed, and will now prepare for the opening round of the NFL playoffs next weekend.
Most Cleveland fans’ attention was likely directed to Nashville, where Jacksonville was attempting to clinch the AFC South division title against Tennessee. Instead, the Jaguars were stunned by the lowly Titans, 28-20, meaning the Browns will now face the No. 4 seed Houston Texans on the road in the wild-card round.
Cleveland clinched its postseason spot 10 days ago with a Thursday night win over the Jets, and after Baltimore wrapped up the AFC North could not improve or hurt its position in the standings. That gave head coach Kevin Stefanski an opportunity to sit a lot of his top players, which was certainly a relief given the amount of injuries his team has endured this year.
The list of Browns either inactive or warming the bench on Sunday included:
- QB Joe Flacco
- WR Amari Cooper
- TE David Njoku
- LG Joel Bitonio
- RG Wyatt Teller
- C Ethan Pocic
- DE Myles Garrett
- DE Za’Darius Smith
- LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
- CB Denzel Ward
- CB Greg Newsome II
Among the backups seeing time was Jeff Driskel, the Browns’ fifth starting quarterback of the season (a franchise record). Unfortunately, the journeyman could not join the quartet of Flacco, Deshaun Watson, P.J. Walker, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson in getting a victory, finishing the day completing 50% of his passes for 166 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Both of those TDs came late in the game to David Bell, cutting into what had been a 31-0 Cincy lead. Bell, a former third-round pick, had perhaps the best game of his two-year career with four catches for 68 yards and the two scores.
This story will be updated.