The Cleveland Browns clinched a playoff berth this past week and are locked into the No. 5 seed in the AFC postseason bracket. But who they play in the wildcard round remains unclear with a few teams still in contention for the No. 4 seed – which will be whoever is the AFC South champion.
Right now, the Jacksonville Jaguars own the South and the No. 4 seed. But that could change if they lose to the Tennessee Titans in Week 18. The winner of the Houston Texans vs. Indianapolis Colts game would take the AFC South crown, though, if Jacksonville loses to Tennessee.
Oddly enough, the Browns have beaten all three of these possible opponents this season. But which of these three teams do the Browns match up better against? Here’s a breakdown of each potential matchup, the pros and cons as well as a verdict for the best opponent for Cleveland.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Last meeting: The Browns beat the Jaguars in Week 14, 31-27, behind Joe Flacco’s 311 passing yards and three passing touchdown. Tight end David Njoku led the team with nine receptions for 91 yards and two touchdowns.
Pros of playing Jaguars: Apart from this past week’s shutout win over the Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville has given up at least 20 points in every game since Week 12. The Browns torched them in Week 14, too. Trevor Lawrence has also dealt with a few injuries over the past few weeks and may not be fully healthy by the time the playoffs roll around. The Browns defense has shut teams down recently and could do the same with the Jaguars.
Cons of playing Jaguars: Despite their problems, Jacksonville has been one of the better offensive teams at times this season. Lawrence is a good passer, running back Travis Etienne can score from anywhere on the field and their pass-catching corps of Calvin Ridley and tight end Evan Engram is solid. This is a team that still scored 27 points against the vaunted Browns defense, and could find their footing at the end of the season.
Houston Texans
Last meeting: The Browns jumped out to a 22-7 halftime lead over the C.J. Stroud-less Texans and ended up winning 36-22. Flacco had another 300-yard, three-touchdown performance as the defense forced two Case Keenum interceptions.
Pros to playing Texans: Houston is one of the youngest teams in the NFL with a first-year head coach, first-time offensive play caller and rookie quarterback. While they’ve still put themselves in playoff contention, the Texans have also shown they can be susceptible to tough defenses, as was the case in loss to the Browns as well as a Week 14 loss to the New York Jets.
Cons to playing Texans: Stroud is back and looks just as good as he did before he suffered a concussion. The team is also getting healthier as a whole with wideout Nico Collins, tight end Dalton Schultz and standout rookie pass rusher Will Anderson all finally back to full strength. This offense can put up points in bunches and the defense has proven itself formidable as well.
Indianapolis Colts
Last meeting: The Browns needed a late Kareem Hunt rushing touchdown to beat the Colts in a 39-38 shootout back in Week 7. Deshaun Watson started but didn’t finish this game after he suffered another shoulder injury, while P.J. Walker managed to pull off the win.
Pros of playing Colts: Indianapolis is a very streaky team. Their offense ranks 10th in scoring this season, but the Colts also scored fewer than 15 points in two of their past four games – both being losses. Gardner Minshew is a solid quarterback but can be flustered if pressured often.
Cons of playing Colts: Jonathan Taylor is still one of the best running backs in the league, and he gashed the Browns in Week 7 with 75 rushing yards and one touchdown on 18 carries and 45 receiving yards. Wideouts Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce and Josh Downs are all great pass-catchers as well, which makes defending them difficult. The Colts defense gives up points but is solid as well with the fifth-most sacks and 12th-most takeaways.
Verdict
It’s a tough pick, but the best opponent for the Browns in the wildcard round is the Houston Texans. They’re the least-experienced team, which means they’re the most likely to be more easily flustered by a well-coached offense and defense.
Stroud might be the best quarterback of the three Cleveland could face, but the team around isn’t as good as the other two. The Jaguars and Colts have the edge at running back and wide receiver on offense, while the Colts have a slightly better defense than Texans.
