The Browns helped shape AFC North race after being left behind, and that’s the real disappointment: Ashley Bastock

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns majorly impacted nan AFC North connected Sunday.

The problem was, it wasn’t successful immoderate measurement that really had immoderate effect connected them.

The Browns were eliminated from postseason contention successful Week 14 erstwhile they mislaid to nan Tennessee Titans, but by beating nan Steelers connected Sunday 13-6, they assured that nan section title continues connected to Week 18.

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It will officially beryllium decided adjacent week erstwhile Pittsburgh (9-7) and Baltimore (8-8) play 1 different successful Pittsburgh.

But not moreover 2 weeks ago, I wrote that nan existent calamity of nan 2025 play was nan truth that nan Browns couldn’t get it together successful a twelvemonth erstwhile everything felt wide unfastened — not conscionable successful nan division, but successful nan AFC successful general.

That still feels existent today.

The Chiefs were eliminated weeks ago, and nan teams astatine nan apical of nan AFC are nan Broncos pinch 13 wins and nan Patriots pinch 12. The Ravens stayed successful nan hunt pinch a 41-24 triumph complete nan Green Bay Packers connected Saturday night.

On Sunday against Pittsburgh, nan Browns did conscionable capable to travel retired connected apical and get their 4th win. The discourtesy held it together to flooded 2 Shedeur Sanders turnovers. The defense prevented immoderate points disconnected either and did not let a Pittsburgh TD each afternoon.

What if nan Browns had figured it retired for illustration this, nevertheless imperfect, conscionable a fewer much times this year?

I’m reminded of this quote from Wyatt Teller from a mates weeks ago: “The AFC’s — yeah, it’s upsetting because 7 games could person fixed you a chance and 10 games would person won you nan thing. So it conscionable sucks.”

Also juxtaposing nan Browns’ opinionated successful nan section connected Sunday was nan truth that Myles Garrett continued his pursuit of nan NFL’s single-season sack record.

Entering this game, Garrett was conscionable 1 takedown distant from nan 22.5 grounds that was group by Michael Strahan successful 2001, and past matched by Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt successful 2021 (Watt was retired for this crippled arsenic he continues to return from his partially collapsed lung).

Every Steelers snap, nan stadium watched pinch bated breath.

Would this be the play that is immortalized successful history, shown successful NFL Films packages for nan remainder of time?

With 2:16 near successful nan game, nan Browns fans who braved nan rainfall and upwind astatine Huntington Bank section collapsed into a “Myles Garrett chant,” pinch Garrett encouraging them correct backmost and asking for much noise.

In nan end, Garrett grounded to grounds a sack. His pursuit of nan grounds will spell to nan play finale too, conscionable for illustration nan section race. Alex Wright and Grant Delpit each recorded sacks against Rodgers instead.

But usage your imagination for a 2nd — ideate what nan suspense successful this crippled would person felt for illustration pinch Garrett chasing history if he and nan Browns were really playing for something.

Unfortunately, that’s each it is — a thought experiment.

Another turnaround excessively late, a Super Bowl-caliber defense and history wasted, nan Browns already near behind.

Ashley Bastock is simply a Browns hit newsman pinch cleveland.com and nan Plain Dealer, and has been since October of 2021. Ashley was named champion sports characteristic writer successful nan 2023 Ohio Associated Press Managing...