The Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions are both locked into the playoffs for the first time since 1994 following the Browns’ 37-20 Thursday Night Football win over the New York Jets.
Both teams are currently sitting at 11 wins this season, but the Lions have the chance to notch their 12th win this Sunday when they take on the Dallas Cowboys. The Lions clinched their first NFC North title in franchise history after beating the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Eve, and they still have a chance to secure the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The Lions do not control their own destiny, and head coach Dan Campbell knows that. In an Associated Press article, Campbell says the team should just focus on what they can control.
“We checked the box on one thing and now it’s to the next one and so at this point, now, we’re fighting for the two seed,” Campbell said. “If you’re able to get to the one, so be it. But right now, what we know we can achieve on our own is the two and that’s no easy task.”
The Browns are still in the running for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, but they will need some help to beat out the Baltimore Ravens and the Miami Dolphins. The Browns’ last game of the season is against a division rival in the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Lions only have six postseason appearances since 1994, and they are looking for their first win since 1991. The Browns are only making their third postseason appearance since 1994, but they got their most recent playoff win in 2020 with Baker Mayfield at QB.
Before winning in 2020, the last playoff win the Browns had was with Bill Belichick as the head coach in that 1994 season. They beat Belichick’s future dynasty-hosting team, the Bill Parcells-led New England Patriots.