Two weeks ago, no one could have imagined that talking about Cleveland Browns playoff positioning would be a rational thing to do. The NFL is a “week-to-week league,” as HC Todd Monken has said multiple times, but Week 1 was so bad that many Browns fans were already making plans for what they would be doing while their team was being trounced week in and week out.
Following the completion of Week 3, with two NFC teams playing on Monday Night Football, Cleveland is riding high with two straight victories
over NFC South opponents, with the Pittsburgh Steelers coming to town for Thursday Night Football, which promises to be “rocking.”
The AFC playoff race is an interesting one. There are nine teams with two or more victories, including the Browns, three with just one win, and four winless teams, including the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans. All four AFC North teams sit at 2-1, with the early-season tiebreakers pushing Cleveland to the third spot.
AFC Playoff Picture After Week 3
- Kansas City Chiefs: 3-0
- Buffalo Bills: 3-0
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 2-1
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 2-1
- Las Vegas Raiders: 3-0
- Baltimore Ravens: 2-1
- Denver Broncos: 2-1
- Cleveland Browns: 2-1
- Cincinnati Bengals: 2-1
- New York Jets: 1-2
- New England Patriots: 1-2
- Indianapolis Colts: 1-2
- Tennessee Titans: 0-3
- Miami Dolphins: 0-3
- Los Angeles Chargers: 0-3
- Houston Texans: 0-3
As the season goes on, the tiebreakers will become important. The first two tend to decide most standings: Head-to-head and winning percentage within the conference (for Wild Card spots) or division games (for deciding who takes the division).
What jumps out to you about the AFC standings above? When will you start to take the Browns playoff hopes seriously?
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