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Kevin Stefanski working through plan for Browns' playing time against Cincinnati Bengals
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- Kevin Stefanski working through plan for Browns' playing time against Cincinnati Bengals
BEREA — The Browns haven't had the opportunity they'll have on Sunday at the Cincinnati Bengals since they've come back into the league in 1999. Even before then, it's been a while since they've been in this spot.
The win over the New York Jets this past Thursday clinched a playoff spot for the Browns. The results, as they played out on Sunday afternoon, secured them the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs regardless of what happens in the regular-season finale.
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So the Browns (11-5) can head to Cincinnati knowing the results won't matter one way or the other in terms of their playoff positioning. Which means, they could approach the game very much like a preseason game that counts in toward the win-loss record.
For the Browns players, for now at least, their approach toward the Bengals game hasn't changed.
"We pretty much just been the same focus as every other game," running back Jerome Ford said on a Monday Zoom call. "We looking to go 1-0 this week. We got an opponent in our division and we know they're going to come out and give us their best shot. So we going to go out there and put it on film and go out there and give it our best shot."
Which players will actually be on the field in Cincinnati is something that remains an unknown. That goes for both teams, really, since the Bengals could also rest some injured players since they were eliminated from playoff contention with their loss at the Kansas City Chiefs , coupled with the Pittsburgh Steelers ' win at the Seattle Seahawks .
Dec 28, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns safety Juan Thornhill (1) celebrates after the Browns beat the New York Jets at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
It's clear, even with Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski not coming out and saying it in so many words, that they plan on taking advantage of the chance to get some key players rest in advance of their to-be-determined AFC Wild Card Game matchup the following week.
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"We're working through all those things," Stefanski said Monday. "We'll have a plan. Obviously, like I mentioned to you guys before, we want to finish strong. We'll have a plan moving forward, but I'll update you guys as we get going through the week."
The difference between the regular-season finale and a preseason game, where the Browns could just sit all of their starters, is the size of the roster. You have the extra players on a preseason roster to account for not just 22 starting spots, but another 22 backups, at least.
The 53-man regular-season roster and the rules surrounding it on a gameday limits that significantly. The Browns can only call up two players from the practice squad as gameday elevations, and they can only have up to seven inactive players.
"I think every decision you make, you're just trying to make what is in the best interest of your football team," Stefanski said. "Whether you play your guys, rest your guys, and as you know, you can't rest everybody. There's roster limitations too, you know. We took care of business last week, but we have to finish strong. That's our mentality. That's what we're trying to do."
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski watches from the sidelin during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
The Browns signed Jeff Driskel off the Arizona Cardinals practice squad this past Friday to be their third quarterback on the active roster. That was a necessary move with or without the opportunity to rest players in the regular-season finale.
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However, it opens the door to possibly keeping 38-year-old Joe Flacco fresh for a wild card game on his 39th birthday weekend. Stefanski put the decision on he himself and not necessarily conversations with other players such as Flacco.
"I mean, you talk to Joe everyday, but this decision I'll make for what's best for every position, everybody on the team," Stefanski said. "But Joe's certainly a veteran that does a great job in the meeting room, does a great job on game day of letting you know what he's seeing. He sees it really well. But I think it's really important that you listen to your guys, both in this building, when you're working and you're in meetings and when you're out there in the practice field, I think it's important to listen to them on game day as well."
The Browns have had a litany of players dealing with injuries, even if they haven't ended up on injured reserve. Two of the most prominent are at receiver, where Amari Cooper missed the Jets game and Elijah Moore sustained a concussion during the game.
Stefanski said Monday both players were improving. However, as is a standard response from him on Mondays throughout the season, he was non-committal about their status for Cincinnati.
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All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio (back) and Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder) are two others who have missed time in games this season. All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett hasn't missed any games with the shoulder injury he sustained during the Week 12 loss at the Denver Broncos , but he's another one for whom rest could be a benefit.
Cleveland Browns defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) celebrates a sack of Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) on Sept. 10, 2023, in Cleveland.
"I mean, you're trying to obviously balance all those things as you make decisions for your football team," Stefanski said. "Like I said, it's important for us to finish strong. So that's what we're going to do, and then we'll get as healthy as we can going into the next season (of the playoffs)."
There's also a group of players whose injury statuses makes them question marks to begin with for Sunday. That group includes kicker Dustin Hopkins (hamstring), punter Corey Bojorquez (left quad), linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (knee) and defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (pec).
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For those players, it's not as much as question about their status for Cincinnati. Instead, it's a question about their status to be ready for the playoffs.
"Obviously, we'll see how all those guys progress over the course of the next couple of weeks," Stefanski said. "You want to get all those guys back, obviously. We'll just have to see how they do over the next 7-14 days."
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Kevin Stefanski working through plan for Browns finale at Bengals
