Hopefully, the Cleveland Browns still make the playoffs. Their fans deserve it after so many years of torture. That "Factory of Sadness" video went viral a few years ago for a reason.
But if the Browns don't make it to the playoffs, and extend a drought that dates back to the end of the 2002 season, they'll remember two days with a ton of pain this offseason: A loss to the woebegone Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7, and a really lethargic 23-7 loss to the Houston Texans, without Arian Foster, at home on Sunday.
All the Browns had to do was beat a Texans team that had turned to quarterback Ryan Mallett to make his first career start, and they would have been 7-3 and in first place with 2013 All-Pro receiver Josh Gordon returning from suspension next week. The Browns could have used Gordon in a bad way this week.
Brian Hoyer had 330 yards, but completed just 20-of-50 passes. The Browns rarely could keep drives moving. Two turnovers hurt. A fumble by Isaiah Crowell came in Texans territory. A fourth-quarter interception by Hoyer led to a field goal. It was a brutal loss, especially for a team whose supportive fan base would love to see a winner for a change.
The AFC North has been so unpredictable that it's impossible to tell where it will go from here. But the AFC North is also incredibly competitive. Maybe the Browns can afford to drop two fairly winnable games and still win the division or make the playoffs as a wild card. But the Browns fans, who have experienced one playoff game (a loss) since coming back to the NFL in 1999, can't feel too good about where it's headed now, even with Gordon back. They've been through too much to feel confident.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
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