How Browns Playoff And Super Bowl Odds Changed After Win Over Ravens
The Cleveland Browns’ win Sunday over the Baltimore Ravens was crucial in so many ways, and no numbers better reflected that than Cleveland’s current playoff and Super Bowl odds, which both changed dramatically once Dustin Hopkins’ 40-yard game-winning field goal soared through the uprights.
With a 78.3 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Browns now own the fourth-best odds in the AFC to crack the postseason, trailing only the Chiefs, Dolphins and Ravens. Their playoff chances increased by 23.7 percent after the win.
The Browns’ Super Bowl chances, meanwhile, sit at 5.3 percent after the win, which are ninth-best in the league. Their odds nearly doubled from 2.4 percent the previous week.
Both those odds could continue to climb over the next several weeks — the Ravens were arguably the toughest opponent left on the Browns’ schedule, and with upcoming games against the Steelers (6-3), Broncos (3-5) and Rams (3-6), Cleveland could quickly enter near-lock territory for the playoffs if they continue to extend their two-game win streak.
Nov 12, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns offensive tackle James Hudson III (66) celebrates a first down against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Jessica Rapfogel-USA TODAY Sports
Perhaps the most encouraging sign that has boosted the Browns’ playoff hopes has been the play of Deshaun Watson, who rebounded in an extraordinary way in the second half after a dreadful first half. Watson completed all 14 of his pass attempts for 134 yards and a touchdown in the third and fourth quarters, igniting Cleveland’s first comeback win over a divisional opponent when facing a 14-point deficit in franchise history.
Watson’s second-half showing was the first time it seemed as though the Browns finally had him playing at a franchise-QB level, and that type of success — paired with the elite play of the defense — will make Cleveland a very difficult team to beat over the final eight weeks of the regular season.
