AFC playoff picture: Browns position unchanged despite Week 9 loss, out due to tiebreaker

The Cleveland Browns loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 9 will be dissected for a few days, including HC Todd Monken’s refusal to “take the points” in a game decided by one point. Because it is the quarterback position and because Shedeur Sanders has such popularity, whether or not Deshaun Watso

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What is the story about?

The Cleveland Browns loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 9 will be dissected for a few days, including HC Todd Monken’s refusal to “take the points” in a game decided by one point. Because it is the quarterback position and because Shedeur Sanders has such popularity, whether or not Deshaun Watson will take back over as starter will be one of the talking points as well.

What most Browns fans won’t be talking about is the AFC playoff picture. Two straight losses have most around Cleveland thinking

negatively, for good reason, but the Browns’ position in both the AFC and AFC North is unchanged from last week, even if the chase for a playoff spot is now more difficult. Cleveland is still in third place in the division and in the eighth seed in the AFC coming out of Week 9.

AFC North Standings

Pittsburgh Steelers: 6-2 (hold tiebreaker)
Cincinnati Bengals: 6-2 (lost to the Steelers)
Cleveland Browns: 5-4
Baltimore Ravens: 4-5

AFC Playoff Standings

Buffalo Bills: 6-1 (Play on MNF)
Denver Broncos: 7-2
Jacksonville Jaguars: 6-2
Pittsburgh Steelers: 6-2
Kansas City Chiefs: 6-2
Cincinnati Bengals: 6-2
New England Patriots: 5-4 (5-1 conference record tiebreaker)
Cleveland Browns: 5-4 (3-3 in the AFC)
Las Vegas Raiders: 4-4
Baltimore Ravens: 4-5
Houston Texans: 3-5
New York Jets: 2-7
Indianapolis Colts: 2-7
Miami Dolphins: 1-7
Tennessee Titans: 1-7
Los Angeles Chargers: 0-8

How surprised are you that the Browns playoff seeding didn’t change this week and they are still tied for a playoff spot (just losing out due to a tiebreaker)? Do you think they will stay in the AFC playoff race most of the season or continue to fall off?