Which games should Browns fans watch on TV during their bye?

The Cleveland Browns are on the bye this week, but with there still being some hopes of making the postseason at 6-6, it’s time to start looking at the other games around the NFL and thinking about what outcomes best serve the Browns’ chances.

First, if you live in the Northeast Ohio area, here is a list of games you’ll be able to catch in Week 13:

WEEK 13 NFL GAMES AIRING NATIONALLY OR IN CLEVELAND

• Sunday - 1:00 PM ET: Los Angeles Chargers vs. Cincinnati Bengals (CBS)
• Sunday - 1:00 PM ET: Arizona Cardinals vs. Chicago Bears (FOX)
• Sunday - 4:25 PM ET: Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (CBS)
• Sunday - 8:20 PM ET: Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs (NBC)
• Monday - 8:15 PM ET: New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills (ESPN)

You can use this as your open thread to discuss all of those games today or tomorrow. Four of the five games have direct implications on the Browns’ playoff chances. The problem? Aside from the Patriots vs. Bills game (where it’s beneficial if New England wins), it’s hard to say who we wan to win the rest of the games.

For example, take the Ravens vs. Steelers game. On one hand, we should say, “you know what, let’s hope Baltimore takes the division (but loses to Cleveland), and in the mean time, takes out other teams like Pittsburgh so that they fall behind us.” However, if Pittsburgh wins this week, and Cleveland wins next week, then we’re only one game behind the Ravens as they square off against the Packers in Week 15. At the same time, the Browns still have a game against Pittsburgh to get their revenge on the earlier loss this season. Hmmmm.

This week, it’s better to sit back, watch the results. With one more week of results under our belts, we’ll better be able to assess where our division and wildcard hopes lay. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Browns are more likely to not makes the playoffs, as we covered in a post earlier this week.