THE WAIT IS OVER
THREE years after finishing 0-16, and 18 years after they last went dancing, the Browns are going to the playoffs. Cleveland overcame a couple of weeks of COVID-19 issues — plus last week’s loss to the Jets — to defeat the Steelers, 24-22, at home Sunday and reach the postseason for the first time since 2002, ending the longest drought in the NFL. That designation now belongs to the Jets, whose last playoff berth came in 2010.
“I’m really just happy for our fans. They deserve this,” said first-year Browns coach Kevin Stefanski. “We’re in the dance, but it’s not over yet. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Other playoff berths in the AFC were clinched by Tennessee (AFC South champions), Baltimore and Indianapolis, while the Rams and Bears secured the final two wild-card spots in the NFC.
Nick Chubb ran for 108 yards, including a 47yard touchdown, for the wild-card Browns, who recorded 11 wins for the first time since Bill Belichick was their head coach in 1994. The AFC North rivals will face each other again next week in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Steelers (12-4) rested Ben Roethlisberger — who owns a 23-2-1 career record against Cleveland — and several other starters. They missed a chance to tie the game after JuJu Smith-Schuster scored a 2-yard touchdown with 1:23 to play. Backup quarterback Mason Rudolph’s pass intended for Chase Claypool on an attempted twopoint conversion sailed high.
The Browns recovered the onside kick before 2018 No. 1-overall draft pick Baker Mayfield sealed their sixth win in eight games with a 3-yard run on third-and-2.
“It’s a moment I’ll never forget,” said Mayfield, who finished with 196 passing yards with a touchdown toss to Austin Hooper. “But we’re not satisfied. We expected to be here.”
TUA LITTLE, TUA LATE
Rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a career-high 361 passing yards but was intercepted three times as the Dolphins completely flushed a win-and-in opportunity in a 56-26 blowout loss to Josh Allen and Buffalo.
With veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick unavailable due to a positive COVID-19 test, Tagovailoa’s three interceptions — including a pick-six by Josh Norman in the third quarter — represented one more than the rookie had thrown in his first nine appearances this season.
“The feeling of losing never feels good,” Tagovailoa said. “I would say the emotions, not just me, but a lot of the guys in the locker room, it’s a bitter taste in our mouth. That’s not how we wanted to go down.”
Isaiah McKenzie had two receiving touchdowns and also scored on a punt return, while Allen set the franchise record for passing yards in one season (4,544) as the Bills (13-3) clinched the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
“Obviously we feel good and we have to keep things rolling,” said Allen, the first player in NFL history with at least 4,500 yards, 35 touchdown passes (37) and five rushing TDs in one season. “Obviously, this doesn’t mean anything if we can’t do anything in the playoffs, and we understand that.”
THAT’S SO RAVENS
Lamar Jackson became the first quarterback in NFL history with two consecutive 1,000yard rushing seasons, and the surging Ravens (11-5) amassed 404 yards on the ground to clinch an AFC wild-card berth with their fifth straight win, 38-3, over Cincinnati (4-11-1).
The win sets up a first-round playoff matchup against the Titans, who knocked top-seeded Baltimore out of the playoffs last year.
“It’s not about them, it’s about us,” Jackson said. “It didn’t matter who we play. … I’m just happy we made the playoffs.
“A lot of people doubted us because we faced a lot of adversity and didn’t have the year we had last year. We still have things we want to finish. It’s just the beginning for us.”
KINGS OF THE SOUTH
Rookie kicker Sam Sloman nailed a 37-yard field goal as time expired, as Tennessee (11-5) pulled out a crazy 41-38 win over Houston to clinch the AFC South.
NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry needed 223 yards to become the eighth player in NFL history to reach 2,000 in one season, and he posted a season-best 250 on 34 carries. Henry, the league’s first 2,000-yard rusher (2,027) since Adrian Peterson in 2012, also scored twice for the Titans.
Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked a 51-yard field goal for a 38-38 tie with 18 seconds remaining. But Ryan Tannehill found A.J. Brown deep downfield for 54 yards to the Houston 23-yard line, and the rookie Sloman banked in the gamewinning field goal off the right upright to seal Tennessee’s first division title since 2008.
Indianapolis also finished 11-5 in the South with a 28-14 win over Jacksonville (1-15). Rookie running back Jonathan Taylor registered a franchise record 253 rushing yards and two touchdowns — including a 45-yard burst with 3:35 remaining — as the Colts clinched a wild-card berth after missing the playoffs last year.
THE FINAL SPOTS
The Rams’ 18-7 win over Arizona vaulted them — and the backdoor Bears, who lost to No. 1 seed Green Bay — into the playoffs.
John Wolford made the start at quarterback for injured starter Jared Goff (thumb) for Los Angeles (10-6), throwing for 231 yards while rushing for 56.
Second-year quarterback Kyler Murray injured his ankle in the first quarter and didn’t return until the fourth for the Cardinals (8-8). Rams cornerback Troy Hill intercepted backup Chris Streveler in the second quarter and returned it 84 yards for a touchdown.
THE HURT LOCKER
Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans hyperextended his left knee in Tampa’s 44-27 win over Atlanta, but coach Bruce Arians said “we don’t think there’s any serious damage.”
Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald was inactive with a groin injury; the 17-year veteran also missed two games earlier this season after testing positive for COVID-19.
Other significant injuries: Jets receivers Denzel Mims (concussion), Bengals receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring), Browns defensive end Olivier Vernon (ankle) and receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (concussion).
POST PATTERNS
Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns for playoffbound Tampa (11-5) — giving the 43-year-old 40 TD passes this season, second-most in his career. … Chargers quarterback Justin Her
bert had three TD passes and finished his rookie season with 4,336 passing yards after a 38-21 win over the AFC-leading Chiefs (14-2). Chad Henne started at quarterback for the resting Patrick Mahomes. … Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf (1,303 receiving yards) and Tyler Lockett (100 receptions) set franchise marks in No. 3 Seattle’s 26-23 win over San Francisco. Russell Wilson connected with Lockett for a 4-yard TD with 2:20 remaining. … Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson had nine catches for 133 yards in Minnesota’s 37-35 win over Detroit to break Randy Moss’ franchise mark for receiving yards by a rookie, finishing the season with 88 receptions for 1,400 yards.