As Ray Kinsella so famously said in the movie, “Field of Dreams,” to Shoeless Joe Jackson, “What’s in it for me?,” what’s in it for the Browns as they get set to play the Steelers on Sunday in Pittsburgh?

With the 3-9 Browns, in last place in the AFC North, having long since been all but eliminated from postseason contention, the game, in terms of the standings, means something only for the division-leading Steelers (9-3), who have a 1 1/2-game advantage over the idle Baltimore Ravens (8-5).

Despite all that, there is still something — a lot, in fact — to play for, for the Browns, and it involves Jameis Winston, who gets another chance — and a big one, at that — to prove to the Browns that he can be their quarterback going forward, or at least worthy of being in the discussion.

Because of Winston’s good play, the Browns have already beaten the Steelers and Ravens at Cleveland to put their division record at 2-1. If instead of being 1-8 in all other games they would have been even just remotely close to .500, which is not much to ask for in a league where parity is so prevalent, then the Browns would be right smack-dab in the middle of the teams in the playoff discussion in the AFC. If Winston can lead the Browns to a victory in Pittsburgh, a place that’s been incredibly tough for them to win in for more than a half-century, then his stock would seemingly rise much higher in terms of that quarterback discussion.

Because there are six games — or almost one-third of the regular-season total of 17 — against division foes, any team must play well in the division to have a chance to get into the playoffs. Having a good quarterback who can make big plays, especially in the final few minutes of the fourth quarter when almost every game is won or lost, is the key. Winston has done well so far in that regard — just ask the Steelers and the Ravrns — and he will get three more chances against those two teams and the Cincinnati Bengals as the season winds down to prove it wasn’t a fluke.

So, then, yes, this game, which is the beginning of that stretch, carries a whole lot of weight for the Browns, albeit only for the future, which, unfortunately,  is now the sole focus of head coach Kevin Stefanski’s club, and, of course, of Jameis Winston as well.

Steve King