Welcome to the postseason, Cleveland.
Cleveland?
The Browns ended their string of non-playoff seasons on Sunday with a tighter-than-expected 24-22 victory over archrival Pittsburgh, which sat many of its starters. Cleveland returned to the NFL in 1999, made the playoffs in 2002, and then, zilch. Until now.
“It’s a moment I’ll never forget,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “But we’re not satisfied. We expected to be here.”
The NFL’s two longest playoff droughts have been snapped with the advancements of Tampa Bay and Cleveland, both 11-5. The Buccaneers, who downed Atlanta 44-27, already were in and secured the fifth seed in the NFC, setting up a trip to the sub-.500 NFC East winner, either Washington or the Giants. Tampa Bay’s last trip to the postseason was 2007.
The Jets now have the unenviable streak of going home early, beginning in 2011.
Cleveland gets a rematch with the Steelers, who will have back their regulars in Pittsburgh next weekend. Regardless, this is an unfamiliar feeling in the Dawg Pound.
“There are hundreds of thousands, not just here,” defensive end Myles Garrett said of the Browns’ fan support. “The 12,000 here, that was great, but there are so many Browns (fans) all over the world who were happy to see us get this win and finally get into the dance.”
Green Bay (13-3) is the top seed in the NFC after beating Chicago 35-16, but the Bears (8-8) got in as the lowest conference seed when the Rams (10-6) defeated Arizona 18-7. Los Angeles is No. 6 in the NFC field and travels to Seattle (12-4), while the Bears go to New Orleans (12-4). The Cardinals (8-8) finished the season with two straight losses.
Baltimore (11-5) took the top wild-card seed in the AFC with its 38-3 romp at Cincinnati. The Ravens will be at Tennessee (11-5), the winner of the AFC South thanks to a wild 41-38 victory at Houston in which Derrick Henry became the eighth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.
The Titans knew they owned a playoff berth after Miami (10-6) lost at Buffalo 56-26. Indianapolis (11-5) then ended the Dolphins’ chances when it took care of Jacksonville, 28-14.
Indy, coached by Frank Reich, heads to Buffalo for an intriguing matchup: In January 1992, Reich filled in as Buffalo’s QB and led the Bills to the NFL’s biggest comeback victory, 41-38 in overtime against the Houston Oilers.
With the win, the Bills (13-3) clinched the AFC’s No. 2 playoff seed and matched a single-season record for victories, set in both 1990 and ‘91, when they made the Super Bowl.
Dallas is done after a 23-19 defeat at the Meadowlands, with the Giants in line to win the awful NFC East with a 6-10 mark. New York, which lost its first five and was once 1-7, needs Philadelphia to knock off Washington (6-9) on Sunday night. Otherwise, Washington advances.
“I’ve been on teams where you let things just go downhill from there, when you start the season off the way that we did,” receiver Sterling Shepard said. “That’s the reason why I’m so proud of this team because we never had one guy hang their head and just throw in the towel.”
Not making the postseason for the first time since 2008 is New England (7-9). Of course, the main reason for that Patriots streak of success and six Super Bowls, Tom Brady, is now quarterbacking the Bucs — and in the playoffs.