There are various reasons for that, but between yesterday's loss in Baltimore and the loss in Oakland, the Cleveland Browns could make a legitimate argument for a 9-6-1 record, which would have given the Browns title of the AFC Central champions.
Alas, we don't live in that world and the Browns had a victory taken away from them by the arbiters-just as in Oakland and fell to the Ravens 26-24.
Baker Mayfield threw for 376 and three touchdowns to set the NFL record for rookie touchdown passes, but also threw three interceptions, including the game-ender to C.J. Mosley.
Jarvis Landry grabbed five passes (including a score) for 102 yards and give Joe Schobert some kudos for his 10 solo tackles as well.
The Browns finish the season at 7-8-1 and will pick 17th in the draft.
Brownie Bits
1) The play that cost the Browns the game and allowed Baltimore to go ahead of the playoffs is a play that never had to happen.
Lamar Jackson's leap and stretch for the goal line came up short with the Browns punching the ball back to beyond the five yard line.
Replays show four players in the screen when the ball was recovered and all four were playing for Cleveland and Jabrill Peppers picked the ball up and would have never been caught.
The referee had already blown the whistle and called the touchdown.
The replay overturned the Baltimore score, but because of the whistle, the Browns were given the ball at the seven rather than the score.
Seven points off the board in a game lost by two.
2) Baker Mayfield showed why he's the rookie of the year and how he still has things to learn.
His first interception was pretty bad as he threw the ball right to a defender, but he kept the Browns in a game that they were constantly battling from in behind in, showed leadership and put 24 points along with over 400 yards offense against the best statistical defense in the league.
3) I feel terrible for Nick Chubb, who moved over the one thousand yard mark during the game and later was thrown for a loss that saw him finish short of the mark for the season.
Considering his numbers and the lack of use by the Hue Jackson/Todd Haley pairing, Chubb would have been far past the thousand yards with even mildly below average usage.
4) The Browns could have won this one without the referees had a long pass from Baker Mayfield to a wide-open Jarvis Landry not clanged off the receiver's facemask.
Landry had a huge game without this play, but it could have been phenomenal.
5) On the 4th down interception that ended the game, give much more credit to Baltimore's C.J.Mosley for making a great play than Baker Mayfield for making a bad pass.
Mosley suddenly arrived in an area that had an open receiver after Mayfield had already released the football.
A super play by Mosley and one that Mayfield deserves no criticism for.
6) I also don't blame Gregg Williams for not trying a 57-yard field goal with Greg Joseph.
Joseph's career high in college or the NFL was less than that and on a cold December day, I liked Baker Mayfield's chances of getting ten yards more than Joseph connecting from such a distance.
7) The Browns also were able to have good games from their secondary pass catchers with Antonio Callaway ( 4 for 79 and a score), Rashard Higgins (4 for 86) and Breshad Perriman (3 for 45 and a key catch on the final drive).
I've always been a booster of Higgins since day one, Callaway was a character risk, but not one in talent in round four of the draft and Perriman looks like the player that he was at Central Florida more than the oft-injured disappointment that he played like as a Raven.
I still would like one more WR, but I've seen a lot of improvement over the course of the season.
8) Credit Larry Ogunjobi for playing half the season with a bicep injury and still being a productive player.
Ogunjobi, even through injury, has been the breakout player on defense this season.
I'd love an upgrade at tackle beside him for next year, but when he is healthy next season, he's sitting on a Pro Bowl season.
9) Needs for next season in order of preference- WR, CB, DT, OLB.
10) Now that the Browns have decided to open up the field for the head coaching position, time to thank Gregg Williams for keeping things together and finishing the season with hope for 2019 that I wouldn't be likely to see coming had Hue Jackson finished the season.
Williams 5-3 record was good enough to deserve consideration, but I doubt he's the choice.
Still, Williams did a fine job and the steps forward this season are somewhat due to the job that Williams was able to do in a tough position.
11) I feel good about the future for the Browns.
Of course, they need to get the head coach right and add a few more talented players through the draft and free agency, but with a strong off-season, I can see next season as a playoff possibility and it's been a long time since I have felt the way.
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