Cleveland Browns erase history with resounding playoff win

The Cleveland Browns earned a playoff victory 26 years in the making.

Everything was going well for the Cleveland Browns against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Wild Card playoff game on Sunday night. By halftime, make no mistake about it, Browns fans were celebrating. They had every right to.

But deep down, 2002 was on their minds when Cleveland held a 17-point lead and eventually lost on Wild Card Weekend to these same rival Steelers. That, of course, was their last playoff appearance prior to this year.

This was different. In fact, this was a moment of a team standing up and saying “the Browns is the Browns”. Pittsburgh wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster learned it the hard way. Pittsburgh’s comeback was to no avail as Cleveland’s motivation fueled by 26 years without a postseason victory was evident.

The Browns’ 48-37 victory sends their division rival and proverbial “big brother” home for the offseason. It was truly the Browns’ time, even when the game seemed to be tilting away. It is also the Browns’ first road playoff victory since 1969 in addition to the first playoff victory overall since 1995.

After that first quarter, didn’t it feel so good as a Browns to be up on the team that has dominated the majority of the historical series? A botched early snap resembling Super Bowl XLVIII and several plays that led to scores had many outside of Cleveland in stunned silence.

A 35-10 lead at the half and ultimately holding on to preserve a victory means so much to a city that has longed for a moment like this.

The Cleveland Browns faced adversity head-on and are playing inspired football.

Cleveland was an underdog. Head coach Kevin Stefanski was out with COVID-19, as were several of their assistants and a handful of players. Baker Mayfield, on the other hand, had plans of his own. Throughout the game, he made it clear that the days of the Browns being a punching bag are no more.

The moment felt right. The running game was solid and both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt did their part in making a statement. Cleveland had been defeated multiple times by Pittsburgh in the Steel City, most notably the aforementioned 2002 Wild Card game when Tommy Maddox worked magic. Ben Roethlisberger simply did the opposite, courtesy of Myles Garrett and friends.

Cleveland earned this victory. They went through so much, none more adversarial than the recent history of how their contests against the Steelers in Pittsburgh have often ended in defeat. Nothing lasts forever and, as a result, Cleveland is heading to Kansas City for the Divisional Round while Pittsburgh is heading home.