I’m more of an advocate for conciliation losses than the average guy. Maybe because despite the successes of the Lakers and SF Giants this decade, there has been plenty of rebuilding and futility for both teams as well, so I take everything with a grain of salt.

So naturally, when it comes to the Browns, who haven’t seen real success since I was still learning how in the hell 2 plus 2 equaled 4, I am pulling the moral victory card on their loss to the Ravens Monday night.

The then 9-3 Cleveland Browns still garnered skeptics to question their legitimacy as a team, based on how pitiful the franchise has been in recent decades, their inconsistent quarterback, and their light schedule. And despite losing 47-42 to Baltimore, I firmly believe the Browns still proved their worth amidst the L.

For one, the were able to score time and time again on a vaunted Ravens defense, even when down late, thanks in large part to another stellar outing from Baker Mayfield. He and the rest of his young offensive corps did not shrink under the bright lights of a Monday Night Football matchup against their division rival and league MVP Lamar Jackson.

The Browns played a great game, the Ravens just played a little bit more of a complete game.

Elite kicker Justin Tucker was lights out, and Cody Parkey blinked twice, once on a field goal attempt and again on an extra point, 4 points that would prove to be the difference between a win and a loss for the Browns; I’m, of course, omitting the backyard bullshit they tried at the end that led to a safety.

Mayfield threw for 343 yards to Jackson’s 163, but threw his first interception in 5 games, while Jackson basically perfect. The Ravens quarterback slipped, ducked, and juked all over FirstEnergy Stadium, totaling 124 rushing yards and two rushing TDs. Cleveland’s serviceable run defense had no answer for Jackson and company on the ground, and the few times he did throw, he found TE Mark Andrews exactly where and when he needed to, reminding us why he was deemed most valuable last year.

But again, as stated on the broadcast numerous times, these are not the same old sorry Cleveland Browns you’ve been accustomed to watching recently. They are extremely well-coached, know exactly who they are, and come ready to compete with the league’s best on any given night.

They have all the usual makings of a team that’s trending in the right direction, with young talent and a coach who’s building his system. Unfortunately, as Monday night showed us, they accordingly suffered the same results young, up-and-coming teams do when they play the team they’re trying to overthrow: a down to the wire loss that the veteran roster that knows how to win already pulls out because they make fewer mistakes and produce a stronger, more complete outing.

Of course, the loss was deflating as any, feeling like you’re right there and coming up empty, but the tone around the team is that this loss won’t derail them like it would prior Browns teams. Hell, prior Browns teams wouldn’t even have been in the playoff hunt at all, let alone this one game.

Speaking of, another bullet on the conciliation prize list is that the Browns are still a comfy 9-4, hold the tiebreaker against both Tennessee and Indianapolis, and have the lowly New York teams up next before finishing against a now shaky as hell Steelers team. The Giants shouldn’t be the walk in the park that the Jets will be, but their attack looked so dismal against Arizona, it’s hard to imagine this Browns offense not putting up more points than them no matter how the game shakes out.

I know I’m doing nothing but coddle my team after losing, and the loss did have some glaring downsides.

The Ravens were on the brink, and a loss to the Browns would’ve probably buried them too far back to make a run. But now, they can win out against 3 more than favorable matchups (Jags, Giants, Bengals) and snag the Browns’ playoff spot, given the Browns start choking. This win is also exactly what the Ravens needed to rally their troops after all the COVID troubles they’ve had to storm back into things.

A choke against the Giants would be classic Browns, but again, they hold those crucial tie breakers against both the Titans and the Colts, whom they would be in the dogfight with for a spot. The Dolphins are 8-5, but with Pats, Raiders, Bills left and a depleted roster, I think they’re going to fade fast.

So it’s going to look like racking up those wins against the teams they were supposed to throughout the season is going to help them hang onto that spot, and land their first playoff berth since ’02. The division was a pipe-dream that Pittsburg cracked the door for, but with Monday’s loss it’s pretty much closed now. I’m still unsure why people discount the Cowboys and Washington wins, since the Cowboys offense was still fully stacked at the time, and Washington has proven to be more than capable of playing anyone and everyone tough, but I digress.

All in all, the Browns gave the country a show on a national stage against the league MVP, are still in fantastic shape to go to the postseason, and Baker Mayfield has proven he doesn’t suck.

So calm your slander, it’s misplaced.

See you Sunday.

Cheers.