CLEVELAND — No matter if the Cleveland Browns make or miss the playoffs, the last two games of the 2019 regular season against the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals still are important to the future of the team and its players and coaches.
Although the Browns have struggled to find consistency through the first 14 games of the season, they are anxious to see how the players continue responding to adversity with the chances at the postseason below one percent.
“Guys are invested,” Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry said. “Guys continue to come to work, show up and work hard, as hard as they can, and that’s really all you can ask of them, stepping out there on Sundays, obviously, competing to win.”
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The Browns came into 2019 with plenty of expectations, both internal and external, based on the emergence of quarterback Baker Mayfield and running back Nick Chubb over the second half of the 2018 season, as well as the offseason additions of Pro Bowl talents in wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and rusher Kareem Hunt.
Despite the bevy of talent on the offensive side of the ball, the Browns have struggled with consistency, so much so that it caught the players by surprise.
“Through every season, things happen,” Landry said. “Whether it’s injuries, whether it’s something off the field, whatever, things happen, and I did not anticipate our record.
“I did not anticipate not having the success that we truly should have, but again, things happen, and it’s about how we respond, how we show up each and every day to come to work and show up on Sundays to try to win.”
When the Browns and Ravens met in Week 4, Cleveland earned a decisive victory, 40-25. Those 40 points scored were the most ever posted by a Cleveland team in the 20-plus year series history against Baltimore. By posting the win, the Browns did something they had not since December 22, 2002, and that is earn a regulation victory over the Ravens.
It was the Browns’ first road win at Baltimore since October 11, 2015, which came in overtime, and it was a critical one, as the victory put Cleveland into first place in the AFC North Division after the first quarter of the 2019 regular season.
However, the Browns were unable to sustain that momentum and promptly went on a four-game losing streak.
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With the Browns’ playoff hopes reduced to the slimmest of margins heading into their home finale against the Ravens Sunday, the focus will be on doing the little things right against the AFC North Division champions, who are on a 10-game winning streak.
“One thing that you can never have enough of is experience, right?” Landry said. “I think guys go through things throughout the season and a lot of these guys were on the team last year, so they kind of felt the same things that were going on this year in some instances.
“I think down the road, it will allow us to have that experience to start a season off with guys who have been through those tough games, tough battles, long battles, long trials of a season, and we’ll be able to pull them out.”