Can the Browns make the playoffs? Are there enough rally possums in the Greater Cleveland area to make this seemingly impossible dream possible?
Yes, there are enough possums.
And yes, there are odds.
But it’s a long shot.
We played around with the New York Times playoff simulator, and what we discovered won’t come as too much of a surprise. In order to have a feasible shot at the postseason, the 4-6-1 Browns needs to win all 5 remaining games and finish 9-6-1. If they do that, according to the simulator, they have an 82 percent chance of making the playoffs.
The Times estimates odds by randomly simulating the remainder of the season thousands of times and counting how often the Browns make the playoffs.
It’s not perfect, but it’s something.
Which game is the most important?
It's the Ravens game.
If the Browns:
- Lose to the Texans and win the rest: They have a 19 percent chance
- Lose to the Panthers and win the rest: They have a 17 percent chance
- Lose to the Broncos and win the rest: They have a 16 percent chance
- Lose to the Bengals and win the rest: They have a 13 percent chance
- Lose to the Ravens and win the rest: They have a 7 percent chance
What about ties?
When it comes to the 2018 Browns, you gotta factor in the ties.
If the Browns win out and tie the Ravens, they have a 63 percent chance of making the playoffs.
We know, we know. The odds of any of this happening are small, but in a season filled with Rally Possums and Victory Fridges and Dangerous Feelings, it’s fun to think about.
