Browns Officially Eliminated From Playoffs

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns have officially been eliminated from the playoffs. When the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens both won on Saturday, it removed any hope of Cleveland sneaking into the postseason.

With two games left in the regular season, the Browns can still secure their first winning season since 2007 (that's nearly a dozen years of waiting for a good team). Cleveland is currently 6-7-1 and has contests against two division rivals remaining: the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.

While the wins from the Titans and the Ravens removed any hope of a playoff run for the Browns, fans of the team still must be pleased with their franchise's performance. After a historically inept two-year stretch that saw the team go 1-31 over two seasons, having a promising, young roster that has strung together win streaks has delivered a renewed sense of optimism in the fanbase.

After all, despite the consistent success of the Cavaliers and the Indians, Cleveland has always been a football town. In a very serious way, that has been a pox upon this city. Even when LeBron James hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy and shrieked, "Cleveland! This is for you!" there was something missing for many Northeast Ohioans. Even when the Indians pushed the Chicago Cubs to a seven-game series in the World Series, a classic match-up, there was something missing. If the Browns find true success, the puzzle of Cleveland sports fandom may be solved.

As the Steelers begin their decline and the Bengals continue to bungle the future of their team, Cleveland has reason to believe in their football future. Only the Ravens may be true divisional contenders over the next few years, and the Browns still have a bevy of assets to improve their team.

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So, while the Browns won't make the playoffs this year, rejoice anyways. The team isn't just better than last year's historically hapless 0-16 squad, this football team is good. And young. And football is king again in Cleveland.

Photo from Rick Uldricks, Patch