Getty Images Cleveland Browns safety Juan Thornhill it's worried about who his team faces in the postseason.
The Cleveland Browns will not be the top seed in the AFC but safety Juan Thornhill isn’t worried.
The Baltimore Ravens walloped the Miami Dolphins 56-19 on Sunday, locking up the AFC North crown and the top seed in the conference. It relegates the Browns to the No. 5 seed and they’ll face the division winner with the worst record in the Wild Card round.
That will likely be the winner of the AFC South. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans all have 9-7 records heading into the final week of the season.
Regardless of who the opponent is, Thornhill is game for the challenge.
“I really don’t care who we play or where we play them,” Thornhill tweeted on Sunday, December 31.
The Browns have already locked up a playoff spot but will be on the road for their postseason matchup. For what it’s worth, the Browns have already beaten the Jaguars, Colts and Texans this season.
The No. 1 seed would have been since for the Browns but the squad appears ready to roll, regardless of opponent.
Browns Won’t Be Satisfied With Playoff Appearance
Getty ImagesBrowns safety Juan Thornhill celebrates after locking up a playoff berth against the Jets.
The Browns locked up their playoff spot with a win against the New York Jets on Thursday. It was just the third for the franchise since 1999. However, the Browns want more than simply appearing in the postseason.
“Anything is possible. It’s just the will to not give up, the will to keep pushing through everything,” Browns tight end David Njoku said after beating the Jets. “Obviously, when Deshaun went down, it hurt a lot. When Nick [Chubb] went down, it hurt a lot. So many injuries this year that we have went through, but we didn’t quit. We rally together and push through. That is why I’m so proud of this team. But — we aren’t done yet.”
The Browns were last in the playoffs during the 2020 season. Cleveland knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card game before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round.
“It was sweet going to the playoffs the first time but now we’re trying to not just make it to the playoffs, we’re trying to go the whole way,” Browns running back Kareem Hunt said.
Browns Likely to Rest Starters For Final Week
Getty ImagesThe Browns will likely rest their starters, including QB Joe Flacco, against the Bengals in Week 18.
With nothing at stake in Week 18, there’s a good chance the Browns rest the majority of their key starters. Cleveland is taking on the Cincinnati Bengals, who were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday with a loss to the Chiefs.
The Browns have dealt with a hefty serving of bad injury luck this season, so a week off before the postseason isn’t the worst thing for Cleveland. The Browns’ top receivers Amari Cooper (heel) and Elijah Moore (concussion) are both dealing with injuries. Star pass-rusher Myles Garrett has also been playing through a shoulder injury. Those are just a few of the bevy of injuries the Browns have been battling through.
On top of that, quarterback Joe Flacco is 38 years old and has multiple playoff apperances under his belt. He’s been on quite the run, passing for 300 yards in four consecutive games. However, there’s no need to put him at risk in a meaningless game.
The Browns signed veteran Jeff Driskel this week to the active roster and he’ll likely serve as the backup to PJ Walker for the season-finale.