Sports
Cleveland Browns To Play Pittsburgh Steelers In NFL Playoffs
The Browns have made the playoffs for the first time in nearly two decades. On Sunday, they'll face a familiar opponent.
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns broke a nearly two-decade streak of frustration on Sunday when the team punched its tickets to the NFL playoffs.
While Cleveland making the playoffs may be something new, the Browns will face a familiar foe in the Wild Card round — the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Cleveland had to defeat their rival (sans a few key starters) in the last game of the regular season to get into the playoffs. To advance past the opening round, the Browns will have to beat the Steelers again.
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"We're in the dance," Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told ESPN after the win. He added that his team wants to keep the magic going and move through the playoffs.
On Sunday, Cleveland and Pittsburgh will match up again, this time at Heinz Field. Kick-off is at 8:15 p.m. and the game will be broadcast nationally on NBC (WKYC locally in Cleveland).
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The last time the Browns made the playoffs was in 2002. They were tossed out of the postseason by the Steelers. The team also made the playoffs in 1994...and were beaten by the Steelers.
To end an ignominious postseason tradition, the Browns will have to beat a Pittsburgh team with a rested Ben Roethlisberger and a squad of rejuvenated starters.
For now, Cleveland sports fans are celebrating an 11-5 Browns team that has taken the first step to breaking a seemingly unbreakable sports curse.
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