The Cleveland Browns' 27-14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday officially eliminated Cleveland from playoff contention, the latest blow in a disappointing season for a team that entered with hopes of a deep postseason run.
The defeat also marked the franchise's 18th 10-loss season since returning to Cleveland in 1999, the most in the NFL during that span.
As the Browns returned from their mid-November bye at 2-7, players spoke of making a late-season run to the playoffs and rectifying a bleak season. Three of four losses since then have relegated Cleveland to playing for "the love of the game" and to be a spoiler, as safety Grant Delpit recently said, in the final month of the season.