The Cleveland Browns are now 3-12 after a 20-23 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Currently, the Browns are fourth overall in the entire standings and this matters due to the upcoming draft and what pick they will ultimately get this draft.
This was posted now heading into Sunday and the final two weeks of the regular season.
Here’s the thing: the Browns have a Week 17 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers at home, then a Week 18 game in Cincinnati against the Bengals to close out the season.
The only thing that “matters,” so to speak, is the potential Myles Garrett Sack Record in which he just needs one single season sack to become the league’s all-time sack leader. The official NFL single-season sack record is 22.5, shared by NY Giants’ Michael Strahan (2001) and the Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt (2021) as well.
Thus, that is what certainly fans are going to be watching in this next game (or second if he doesn’t get it in this upcoming one). Getting that record against the Steelers’ rival would be even better than just against any old team.
However, this idea of “tanking” is a real thing and something the Browns may actually try to do instead of winning the final two games. This way, they get an even better draft pick this offseason and thus a better pick.
Another funny thing about next week’s games is that the Giants and Raiders play each other, so one of them has to lose at least one game. That helps the Browns in that sense for sure.
Honestly, the Steelers are at 9-6 and a pretty solid team despite some struggles. The Bengals are at 5-9 and a lot worse off as an opponent. Hopefully, the Browns continue their losing ways in order to make sure they secure the best draft pick possible for a team.
*** Additionally, remember the Browns get another pick from Jacksonville as well this upcoming first round, so that’s important too.
Yes, tanking is frowned upon by most…
The only reason I would see the Browns trying extra hard is that Kevin Stefanski and others want to keep their jobs for the upcoming season after this disastrous year for the team as a whole. Thus, they may try even harder to look better to close it all out.
It pained me to write this with just how much we always hate the Steelers, but this wouldn’t surprise me if it were the case for this upcoming week and the subsequent final week against the Bengals too:
Update: The NFL is suspending Steelers WR DK Metcalf two games without pay for physically confronting a Lions fan during Sunday’s win at Detroit, per sources. (Thus, he’s out for the game against the Browns, which could help Cleveland win…yikes.
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