The AFC North championship dreams of the Cleveland Browns were ended on Sunday after the Baltimore Ravens blew out the Miami Dolphins. That means that Cleveland is locked into the fifth seed in the AFC and will be on the road for the Wild Card round.
Before the Ravens win earlier in the day, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that with a Ravens win Cleveland would likely rest starters against the Bengals. This makes a ton of sense especially when you think of how many injured players are on Cleveland’s roster.
With Amari Cooper missing the game against the New York Jets the team can now give him more time off so that he is 100% for the postseason. Joel Bitonio has been battling a back injury and Juan Thornhill has a calf, all of these players can now get healthier for the playoff run. With nothing to gain in Cincinnati, the Browns will focus on getting right for a playoff run.
The Insiders on @NFLGameDay: The #Commanders are trending toward a coaching change, but no decisions made; #Rams WR Puka Nacua (hip) is expected to play; The #Browns will look to rest starters next week if there is nothing to play for looking toward the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/gt3uqYwdrf
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 31, 2023
