CLEVELAND (AP) — After nearly two decades of dysfunction, bad draft picks and coaching and front-office changes, the NFL’s longest playoff drought is over.
The Cleveland Browns are back in the postseason, qualifying for the first time since 2002 on Sunday by surviving a late Pittsburgh rally for a 24-22 win over the Steelers, who rested quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and several other starters.
The Browns (11-5) nearly blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter, but stopped Pittsburgh’s 2-point conversion attempt and then recovered an onside kick with 1:22 left to hold on.
A week of COVID-19 disruptions concluded in celebration as the Browns ended what had been the NFL’s longest postseason drought. Their reward: Another game against the AFC North champion Steelers, in Pittsburgh next weekend.
“We’re in the dance,” said first-year coach Kevin Stefanski. “But we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Nick Chubb had a touchdown run, Baker Mayfield threw a TD pass — and had several critical runs in the second half — and the Browns hung on as Mason Rudolph brought back the Steelers (12-4), who had the luxury of sitting their best players after clinching the division last week.
Instead of Roethlisberger, who is 23-2-1 in his career against the Browns, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin started Rudolph in the regular-season finale. Big Ben will be back for the playoffs.
Rudolph’s 2-yard TD pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster with 1:23 left pulled the Steelers within 24-22. But Rudolph badly overthrew rookie Chase Claypool on the 2-point attempt, and Browns tight end Stephen Carlson then fell on the ensuing kick under a pile of bodies.
The Browns only had to run out the clock and Mayfield, who earlier had a key 28-yard run, scampered for 3 yards on 3rd-and-2 with 1:10 left.
“It’s a moment I’ll never forget,” Mayfield said. “But we’re not satisfied. We expected to be here.”
Before the scoreboard clock in FirstEnergy Stadium ran off its final seconds, most of the 12,000 fans — there were some Terrible Towel wavers — cheered wildly and Browns players danced onto the field.
“This is what we imagined,” said defensive star Myles Garrett.
The win completes a grueling turnaround for the Browns and their passionate fan base. The team’s last playoff visit was 197 losses, 14 double-digit-loss seasons and seven coaches ago.
Stefanski has not only navigated the Browns through COVID-19 issues, he’s got them back in the Super Bowl tournament.
The Browns barely practiced this week because of COVID-19 positive tests and protocols and went into their most important game in years without six players, including top cornerback Denzel Ward, and three assistant coaches.
Along with Roethlisberger, defensive star T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Maurkice Pouncey didn’t make the trip to Cleveland. The Steelers were also missing cornerback Joe Haden, who tested positive for COVID-19 and may have to miss the playoff game.
The Browns were clinging to a 10-9 lead in the third quarter when Rudolph, under extreme pressure, floated a pass across the field that was intercepted by reserve cornerback M.J. Stewart.
Cleveland capitalized on the turnover with wide receive Jarvis Landry taking an inside handoff and scoring on a 3-yard run to put the Browns up 24-9. Landry, forced to sit out the first game of his career as a COVID-19 close contact, celebrated his score by rifling the ball against the padded end zone wall.
Chubb’s 47-yard touchdown run on Cleveland’s first series made it look like the Browns might be on their way to a comfortable win.
But nothing is ever easy for the Browns, and after their offense bogged down, the Steelers got two field goals by backup Matthew Wright to close within 10-6 at halftime.
Rudolph passed for a career-high 315 yards and two touchdowns, but found no solace in playing well.
“A backup quarterback in this league, you don’t get many opportunities,” he said. “I didn’t care who it was. … Obviously you want to win the ballgame.”
GARRETT-RUDOLPH
Garrett and Rudolph barely crossed paths — until after the game.
It was their first meeting in Cleveland since Garrett tore off Rudolph’s helmet and hit him with it, one of the ugliest on-field incidents in recent NFL history that led to a suspension for Garrett.
“I just told him, ‘Good game, and see you all in a week,’” Garrett said.
“I told him good luck,” Rudolph said. “A lot of respect for him.”
NICK OF TIME
Chubb went over 1,000 yards for the second straight season in style. His 47-yard TD pushed the Pro Bowler into quadruple digits despite him missing four games with a sprained right knee.
INJURIES
Steelers: None reported.
Browns: DE Olivier Vernon suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter. Vernon didn’t put any weight on his leg while being assisted to the medical tent. He was carted to the locker room. … Rookie WR/PR Donovan Peoples-Jones suffered a concussion late in the first half while jumping to make a catch and getting drilled by safety Sean Davis.
UP NEXT
Browns: Back to Pittsburgh, where they lost 38-7 in October. Cleveland’s previous playoff game was also in Pittsburgh, a heartbreaking 36-33 loss in ’02.
Steelers: Will be back at full strength for their first playoff appearance since the 2017 season.
Welcome to the postseason, Cleveland. Cleveland? Yep
Welcome to the postseason, Cleveland.
Cleveland?
The Browns ended their string of non-playoff seasons on Sunday with a tighter-than-expected 24-22 victory over archrival Pittsburgh, which sat many of its starters. Cleveland returned to the NFL in 1999, made the playoffs in 2002, and then, zilch. Until now.
“It’s a moment I’ll never forget,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “But we’re not satisfied. We expected to be here.”
The NFL’s two longest playoff droughts have been snapped with the advancements of Tampa Bay and Cleveland, both 11-5. The Buccaneers, who downed Atlanta 44-27, already were in and secured the fifth seed in the NFC, setting up a trip to the sub-.500 NFC East winner, either Washington or the Giants. Tampa Bay’s last trip to the postseason was 2007.
The Jets now have the unenviable streak of going home early, beginning in 2011.
Cleveland gets a rematch with the Steelers, who will have back their regulars in Pittsburgh next weekend. Regardless, this is an unfamiliar feeling in the Dawg Pound.
“There are hundreds of thousands, not just here,” defensive end Myles Garrett said of the Browns’ fan support. “The 12,000 here, that was great, but there are so many Browns (fans) all over the world who were happy to see us get this win and finally get into the dance.”
Green Bay (13-3) is the top seed in the NFC after beating Chicago 35-16, but the Bears (8-8) got in as the lowest conference seed when the Rams (10-6) defeated Arizona 18-7. Los Angeles is No. 6 in the NFC field and travels to Seattle (12-4), while the Bears go to New Orleans (12-4). The Cardinals (8-8) finished the season with two straight losses.
Baltimore (11-5) took the top wild-card seed in the AFC with its 38-3 romp at Cincinnati. The Ravens will be at Tennessee (11-5), the winner of the AFC South thanks to a wild 41-38 victory at Houston in which Derrick Henry became the eighth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.
The Titans knew they owned a playoff berth after Miami (10-6) lost at Buffalo 56-26. Indianapolis (11-5) then ended the Dolphins’ chances when it took care of Jacksonville, 28-14.
“It’s huge. … It’s something we set out to do this year was to go win the division, and we were able to do that,” quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. “We’ll enjoy that, we’ll enjoy being able to play a home playoff game at home and have a big opportunity this week to go get another win.”
Indy, coached by Frank Reich, heads to Buffalo for an intriguing matchup: In January 1992, Reich filled in as Buffalo’s QB and led the Bills to the NFL’s biggest comeback victory, 41-38 in overtime against the Houston Oilers.
“We’ve said this from Day 1 in training camp: We believe we have a team that is good enough to win it all and that has to start by getting in the playoffs,” Reich said. “Now that we’re here, that’s our belief. Playoff football is unique, so we feel like our running game is ascending at the right time for this time of year, for playoff football. And I believe our run defense will continue to shine, so I feel really good about where we are as a football team.”
With the win, the Bills (13-3) clinched the AFC’s No. 2 playoff seed and matched a single-season record for victories, set in both 1990 and ’91, when they made the Super Bowl.
Dallas is done after a 23-19 defeat at the Meadowlands, with the Giants in line to win the awful NFC East with a 6-10 mark. New York, which lost its first five and was once 1-7, needs Philadelphia to knock off Washington (6-9) on Sunday night. Otherwise, Washington advances.
“I’ve been on teams where you let things just go downhill from there, when you start the season off the way that we did,” receiver Sterling Shepard said. “That’s the reason why I’m so proud of this team because we never had one guy hang their head and just throw in the towel.”
Not making the postseason for the first time since 2008 is New England (7-9). Of course, the main reason for that Patriots streak of success and six Super Bowls, Tom Brady, is now quarterbacking the Bucs — and in the playoffs.