Keys to Browns Avoiding Early Exit in 2023-24 Playoffs
The Cleveland Browns took one of the more improbable ways into the NFL playoff field.
Cleveland struck magic in the free-agent quarterback market to land Joe Flacco, who looked as good as he did when he won the Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens.
Flacco's connections with Amari Cooper, David Njoku and others led to the Browns not worrying about their playoff spot going into Week 18.
All Cleveland has to worry about on Sunday is which seed it lands. That is dependent on a win over the Cincinnati Bengals, or results elsewhere.
Flacco's continued success is vital for the Browns' postseason run, and if the magic runs out, the Browns could be in for an early exit.
Joe Flacco's Continued Success
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Flacco's return to a starting quarterback role and the overwhelming success that came with it is one of the most surprising storylines of the NFL season.
Flacco turned out to be a much better backup quarterback option than P.J. Walker or Dorian Thompson-Robinson. He has four straight 300-yard performances going into Week 18.
The 38-year-old quarterback has come with some flaws, including an interception in each of his five starts, but he has found a way to win games for the Browns despite those errors.
The veteran signal-caller developed strong connections with Cooper and Njoku, and in some regards, he has looked better than Deshaun Watson inside the Browns offense.
Cleveland's primary postseason concern is that Flacco's turnovers come back to haunt him and he can't rebound from them.
Some of the defenses the Browns could face in the AFC postseason may not be as wide open as the New York Jets or Chicago Bears.
The good news, though, is that Flacco had 311 yards and three touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who would be the Browns' wild-card round opponent if the standings hold.
Improved Rushing Attack
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Cleveland's 127-yard rushing-yard performance against the Jets in Week 17 marked the first time the franchise eclipsed the 100-yard mark on the ground since Week 12.
The Jerome Ford-Kareem Hunt duo took a backseat to Flacco's success through the air, and neither back has been a great supporting piece during the quarterback's magical five-week run.
Ford and Hunt need to be as effective as they were last week in a playoff game to be the perfect complement to Flacco.
If the ground game does not get going, opposing defense could go after Flacco on early downs and force the Browns into some difficult third-down situations.
The Browns just need offensive consistency to thrive in the postseason, and they got a glimpse of what that would look like in Week 17.
Myles Garrett
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The Browns possess one of the NFL's biggest defensive difference-makers in Myles Garrett.
The AFC North side needs its defensive superstar to thrive in the postseason to help the defense get off the field and to allow Flacco to produce more magic.
Garrett is sixth in the NFL with 14 sacks entering Week 18, and he could be an even bigger asset in the postseason if the Browns face the Jaguars in the first round.
The Browns intercepted Trevor Lawrence on three occasions in Week 14. They also got a ton of pressure on the Jacksonville quarterback.
A matchup with Jacksonville would be ideal for Garrett and Co. to wreak havoc at the start of the postseason and create some momentum into a potential divisional round showdown with the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens.
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