First Call: Browns get loud after Steelers loss; playoff-clinching scenarios in Buffalo

Tim Benz
Friday, Dec. 11, 2020 6:03 a.m. | Friday, Dec. 11, 2020 6:03 a.m.

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Browns coach Kevin Stefanski had a forgettable debut, with his team losing 38-6 to the Baltimore Ravens and calling a failed fake punt attempt in the first half.

The Cleveland Browns are getting awfully brave on Twitter after the Steelers’ loss Monday. Let’s see how their head coach responds.

Aaron Donald is still in top form out in Los Angeles. Just ask the New England Patriots.

We have gambling odds on the New York Jets going winless and playoff-clinching formulas for both of the teams in Sunday night’s Steelers-Bills game.

All that in Friday’s “First Call.”

Get ready for it

After the Steelers lost to Washington on Monday, the Browns (9-3) got a little lippy on social media.

Defensive lineman Myles Garrett tweeted about the Steelers leaving the “door open” for them. Linebacker Mack Wilson spewed something about destiny.

OK. They are hot. They have won five of six since the Steelers crushed them 38-7 earlier in the year. But they don’t play the Steelers again until the last week of the season.

So what does coach Kevin Stefanski think about his players feeling their oats online?

“I would tell you if I address anything, I will keep it internal,” Stefanski said. “In regards to our players, I think they know what we are about, and what we are about is working. I tell you that because we just came off the field, and I thought the guys got some really good work in. They understand what is so important about our preparation is that we are continually grinding on it. I think the guys get that message from me.”

We’ll see. The Browns have the Baltimore Ravens this Monday — another team that crushed them earlier in the year (38-6).

At it again

Aaron Donald is up to his old tricks.

The former Pitt Panther got another 1.5 sacks Thursday against New England. That gives him at least half a sack in five straight games.

Superman.@AaronDonald97 x #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/BpLIBE6qYd

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 11, 2020

The Penn Hills grad now has 12.5 on the season. That puts him a half-sack in front of Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt for the NFL lead.

Same boat

The Steelers aren’t the only team that can clinch a playoff spot in Buffalo on Sunday night.

The home-standing Bills can wrap up a spot, too. A bunch of things have to happen this week for that to occur. But one of them already did when the Patriots lost to the Rams on Thursday night.

The rest are … expansive.

For #BillsMafia , 1 down, 4 to go….. pic.twitter.com/fewVtUzXsC

— Sal Capaccio (@SalSports) December 11, 2020

According to Oddshark.com, Baltimore is favored by 2.5 to beat the Browns. The Dolphins are underdogs (+7.5) against the Kansas City Chiefs. Las Vegas is a 3-point underdog against Indianapolis.

Meanwhile, the Steelers clinch the AFC North title with a win and a Cleveland loss. The Steelers also clinch a playoff spot with a win or tie of their own or:

• A Las Vegas loss or tie

Or

• A Miami loss or tie

Or

• A Tennessee loss

Got it? Good.

Now explain it back to me because I’m not sure what I just wrote.

One can only hope

The New York Jets are still winless after 12 games.

That’s why they may want to consider hiring Bill Cowher as their new coach after the season ends.

And it may end without any wins at all. Via ProFootballTalk.com, PointsBetSportsbook now has the Jets at a favored money line (-120) to complete the campaign winless. Meanwhile, they’d be a positive payout (+100) to actually win a game

The Jets finish the 2020 season against the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots.

Nope. I don’t see them winning any of those four games either. How quickly can you scrape a few bucks together to jump on that line before it gets wider?

The 2008 Detroit Lions and the 2017 Browns are the only 0-16 teams in NFL history.