Playoff fate now out of Browns' grasp

The Cleveland Browns could have clinched a playoff berth by beating the woeful Bengals in Cincinnati yesterday. Had they done that, they would not have had to worry about what the Tennessee Titans did in their game last night against the Jets. The Browns could have gone into week 17 knowing they were locked into the sixth slot in the AFC playoff race which would have allowed them to give some of their key players some rest. Unfortunately for them, that didn't happen.

Derek Anderson picked a bad time to have what was probably his worst game of the season, throwing four interceptions, three in the first half, which led to 14 Cincinnati points. The weather conditions weren't exactly ideal as gusting winds pounded both sides all afternoon long, but Anderson was all over the place. Twice he was picked off deep into Bengals' territory, once at the five-yard line on a pass intended for Kellen Winslow.

Because of Anderson's erratic throws, Cincinnati jumped out to an early 19-0 lead. Cleveland battled back, as Anderson was able to find Braylon Edwards in the end zone twice in the second half to cut the lead to five, 19-14, but it wasn't enough.

Now, the Browns have to rely on Tennessee to lose next week in their game at Indianapolis. It doesn't matter what Cleveland does. If both the Browns and Titans win, Tennessee is in because of tiebreakers. However, if both teams lose, Cleveland makes it because they would then own the tiebreaker. It's confusing, but that's how it works.

In the case of the Titans, they will be playing a Colts' team that has already locked up the number two spot in the AFC. Tony Dungy has already said that backup quarterback Jim Sorgi will play at least one half, and it is not known how much other regulars like Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, etc. will play. Dungy stated that he wants to win the game, but it is more important for him to go into the postseason healthy than beat a division rival.

Should Dungy remain true to his word and sit Peyton Manning for a good portion of the game, the door will be wide open for Tennessee to make it to the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season and it would take a major choke-job for them not to do so. The Titans didn't look too extraordinary in their 10-6 win over the Jets on Sunday, but they did enough to win, atypical of Tennessee in all of their victories. Vince Young completed 12 of 23 passes for 166 yards and threw a pick, but it didn't cost his team the game. Now, they sit at 9-6 and one win away from playing January football.

The question remains as to how dangerous either of these two squads jockeying for the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFC can be. The Titans have shown they could be a dominant squad this season with a stellar defense led by Pro Bowl tackle Albert Haynesworth and linebacker Keith Bulluck, but their offense has been extremely spotty. Young has only thrown nine touchdown passes this season compared to 17 interceptions, good for a dismal quarterback rating of 69.5

The running game has been pretty effective, with second-year back LenDale White rushing for over 1,000 yards, backup Chris Brown averaging 4.6 yards per carry, and Young going for 376 yards and three touchdowns. However, White is averaging only 3.7 yards per carry, and in the postseason where the teams involved are generally good at stop the run, that could pose a problem.

The Browns, on the other hand, can have a very explosive offense at times. It all hinges on whether or not Anderson plays mistake-free football. He has looked brilliant at times this season, throwing for 3,635 yards and 28 touchdowns. However, those 18 interceptions make you wonder whether or not he can lead Cleveland on a potential playoff run this year.

Fortunately for the Browns, their offense is not one-dimensional. Jamal Lewis has re-discovered himself in a Cleveland uniform, carrying for nearly 1,200 yards through 15 games. The Browns also have a change-of-pace back in Jason Wright who, like Tennessee's Brown, is averaging 4.6 yards per attempt. Anderson also has several weapons to throw to, and they don't only go by the names of Winslow and Edwards. Joe Jurevicius has stepped up in a big way for Cleveland this season, catching 49 balls for 602 yards.

That's where the Browns have a huge advantage over the Titans. Tennessee does not have a true number one receiver in its corps. Roydell Williams is the team's leading wide-out and he has only caught 49 passes for 660 yards this season. Jurevicius has produced just as much as Cleveland's third option. Justin Gage has been re-born since coming to the Titans, grabbing 48 for 646. However, that duo is not going to get Tennessee very far if their defense doesn't completely shut down the opposition. Considering they're going to be playing either Pittsburgh or San Diego in the first round if they reach the playoffs, that doesn't bode well for the Titans. You have to be able to score with those teams, something Tennessee can't do. The Browns, on the other hand, can.

Cleveland will end the season at home against San Francisco at 1:00 PM. The Titans will travel to Indianapolis to face the 13-2 Colts, most likely the second-string Colts. That game has been moved to the prime-time slot at 8:00. It's simple: if Tennessee wins, they're in. If they lose, the Browns get in.