It has been said that the final NFL preseason game is forgotten almost before it’s over.

That’s understandable, for it is played by men who, in many cases, have little chance of making the team. As such, then, it means absolutely nothing.

The same can be said for the final regular-season game when there is nothing to play for.

The latter scenario was the case for the Browns on Sunday at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati as they fell 31–14 to the Bengals. The Browns, who saw their four-game winning streak snapped, had nothing to play for, as they had already clinched the top wild-card spot in the AFC playoffs, as the No. 5 seed, and couldn’t advance their cause if they won or reduced their standing if they lost. As such, the Browns sat many of their starters, especially the more prominent ones, so as to keep them healthy heading into the postseason, which will begin next weekend when they go to Houston for the second time this year to play the Texans, who are the South Division champions by virtue of the Jacksonville Jaguars being upset by the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

This was the first time since 1985 that this scenario had happen for the Browns, when they played a meaningless final regular-season game, on a positive note. That team had already clinched the AFC Central championship and couldn’t enhance or lessen their situation one way or another.

The Browns lost 37–10 to the host New York Jets 38 years ago, but quickly put that aside and took the defending conference champion Miami Dolphins right down to the end before losing 24–21 the following week in the divisional round of the playoffs. The Browns blew a 21-3 third-quarter lead.

The Browns will be ready to play against the Texans. They seem poised to make a playoff run, even if it appeared they were running in quicksand against the Bengals in a meaningless game. Don’t be disappointed, or food, by that.

Steve King