AFC Playoff Picture: Browns now competing for top seed

The Browns beating the Ravens doesn’t change seeding but does change playoff possibilities

The Cleveland Browns started slowly but played well when it mattered. The same was true for QB Deshaun Watson who was perfect when the Browns needed him the most versus the Baltimore Ravens. Knocking off the AFC North leaders who were tied for the best record in the AFC is a big accomplishment but only matters if Cleveland can build on it.

With one more game of importance in Week 10, the Browns playoff hopes got a little help in four games but none that changed the seeding from last week. With the Kansas City Chiefs idle, Cleveland’s victory over Baltimore did make the top seed a possibility for a ton of teams.

The Browns remain the sixth seed if the season ended today but, along with three other teams, are just one game behind the Ravens for the second seed and 1.5 behind the Chiefs for the top seed:

If the Buffalo Bills win on Monday Night Football (we are rooting for the Denver Broncos), they will vault into the seventh seed at 6-4.

Week 11 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers could not only be for the division lead but also to move into the top seed, or a tie for it. Baltimore plays the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football while the Kansas City Chiefs host the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football.

If the Browns, Bengals and Eagles pull out victories, Cleveland could (depending on where the tiebreakers fall) find themselves with the top seed in the AFC and leading the AFC North going into Week 12.

Given the season the Browns have had, how surprised are you by the final sentence above?