On Sunday, the Cleveland Browns will play their most important game in five years. Not since 2002 when the Browns beat the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17 to advance to the post-season has a game of this magnitude been within reach.
It’s simple, really. If the Browns beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, they are playoff bound. If Cleveland loses, their playoff hopes become quite murky.
This is a scary game. Although the Bengals are closing the book on a sub-par season, they are still a potent team. They have only won just five games this season which may come as a surprise to read. The Bengals, though, are not the Miami Dolphins. Their offense in particular is full of playmakers and Pro Bowlers.
One former All Pro is quarterback Carson Palmer, who has publicly stated this week that he would like to ruin the Browns’ chances for post-season play. Palmer believes when the Browns beat the Bengals in Week 2 to the tune of 51-45, the Bengals began their downward spiral. And the Browns’ season was launched.
That may certainly be the case. It’s very easy to see the similarities between the Browns and Bengals. Both teams have juggernaut offenses, but defenses that give up far too many points and yardage. Both teams have big, sturdy quarterbacks, a healthy rushing attack and wide receivers that keep opposing Defensive Coordinators up all night game planning. Both teams also play in the same division and state, and familiarity clearly breeds contempt.
While the Bengals are a disappointing team this season, one never quite knows what to expect from this them.
Which Cincinnati team will show up on Sunday? Will it be the Bengals’ team that beat the Titans 35-6 just one month ago? Or the Bengals’ team that got embarrassed 20-13 just one week ago against the putrid San Francisco 49ers?
One thing is clear--against a dangerous offense like Cincinnati, the Browns cannot afford to start slow.
Unfortunately, slow starts are Derek Anderson’s modus operandi. While Anderson is having a highly successful season--he was just voted in as a Pro Bowl alternate--it cannot be forgotten that Anderson has a penchant for poor play early in games.
In the loss to Arizona in Week 13, Anderson threw two interceptions and fumbled the ball. All before halftime. By the end of the game, Anderson was clicking and the Browns arguably should have won the game on a throw to Winslow in the end zone that was caught with no time remaining. Winslow got one foot in bounds, and was immediately pushed out. No force out rule was called. The Browns lost, and Anderson’s comeback attempt was too little too late.
Against an offense that has the weapons to score points like the Bengals, a slow start by Anderson could have the Browns down by fourteen or even twenty-one points early in the game.
Unlike the Bengals, though, Cleveland does have something to play for. While the Bengals’ players are contemplating where they will be vacationing during the offseason, the Browns know that their playoff dreams are riding on this game.
After the Week 1 beat down at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns have matured greatly. They have earned the right to play in the post-season, and have a realistic chance at facing the Pittsburgh Steelers again in the wild-card round.
Standing in their way, though, is the Bengals, a team that is built like the Browns, even down to similar uniform colors. On Sunday, however, Cleveland is the better team. This is a game the Browns should win. This is a game they need to win.
Just win, baby.
Keywords: Bengals, Carson Palmer, Cleveland Browns, Derek Anderson, Playoffs, Steelers
