The Cleveland Browns’ loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday night officially eliminated them from AFC North title contention.
Notably, they’re still not eliminated from playoff contention.
That could change with a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
Nevertheless, as complicated as things might seem right now, this team isn’t going to bow down or wave the white flag.
At least, that’s what Kevin Stefanski said after the loss (via 92.3 The Fan):
“We’re going to get back to work. Keep our head down and then come back out swinging,” he said.
#Browns HC Kevin Stefanski: "We're going to get back to work. keep our head down and then come back out swinging."
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) December 3, 2024
Some fans would argue that they might be better off just losing through the season and making sure to land a top pick in the NFL Draft, and there’s a strong case to be made for that.
Then again, there’s much more at stake for the Browns.
Stefanski needs to keep building a culture within the locker room.
There were reports of discontent and a lack of effort, allegedly tied to the lack of accountability over Deshaun Watson’s subpar play.
Now, Stefanski has an opportunity to build ahead to the upcoming season.
That means fighting hard until the very end, and if they can’t make the playoffs, they can at least play spoiler.
NEXT: Troy Aikman Questions Browns' Front Office About 1 Decision This Season
