What a fun ride

The climb back to the postseason for the Browns was arduous most of the way, utterly daunting at other times and often felt damn near impossible with all kinds of impediments that pretty much declared, "Not this season, guys."

So you can imagine the sweet feeling of accomplishment that washed over the joyous capacity home crowd and the international reach of Browns Nation moments before the conclusion of the 37-20 post-season-clinching victory over the New York Jets Thursday night on national television.

It was Dickensian the entire 60 minutes. 'Twas a tale of two halves that featured a 12-round 34-17 slugfest in the first 30 minutes followed by the polar opposite the rest of the way: A slugfest that featured both  defenses and two field goals.

The halftime score had just about everyone busting out the record books in case it continued in the second half. Didn't come even close with just a field goal by each team as it melted into a boring game with Kevin Stefanski satisfied to play much more conservatively, leaning on the ground game to protect the lead and bring this one home in style to stretch the winning streak to four.

Playing January football for only the third time in the last 25 seasons, the Browns did all the damage in the first two quarters with Joe Flacco throwing for 300 yards for the fourth straight game, and three touchdowns, giving him 13 on the season, before Stefanski used his play-not-to-lose card.

Operating for the first time without Amari Cooper, a pre-game scratch most likely precautionary after testing an injured heel, Flacco turned his attention to tight end David Njoku, who caught six passes for 134 hard-earned yards; Elijah Moore's six grabs for 61 yards and a score before leaving in the second half with a concussion; and running back Jerome Ford, who scored on both of his receptions.

The defense grabbed some of the spotlight, too, for the 11-5 Browns when rookie safety Ronnie Hickman's pick six of a Trevor Siemian pass early in the second quarter boosted the lead to 20-7. And Myles Garrett added to the celebration by ending his five-game sackless shneid.

The way Flacco was throwing, he could have gone well over 300 yards behind an offensive line that despite playing together for only a couple of games has protected the meal ticket very well. Another reason this team has become dangerous with the postseason around the corner.

Considering the way they have played the last dozen games (9-3), the guess here is any playoff team not considered elite does not want to face the Browns in the wild-card round. Certainly not with Flacco working his magic and showing few signs of wearing down.

His sideline demeanor Thursday night in the face of a second half when his coach unobtrusively took the game out of his hands with such a large lead and out of the spotlight he's been in all season, indicated this accomplishment meant a lot to him. He couldn't stop smiling and celebrating.

After sitting at home all summer waiting for a telephone call, any telephone call from any team in the National Football League, you bet this ranks right up there with the numerous significant memories in his lengthy career.

And now Browns fans in a few weeks will get to see Flacco playing in an atmosphere that seems to bring out the best in him to the point where he has flourished before our eyes. To be here at his advanced age and prospering beyond reason undoubtedly makes it that much sweeter.

He knows what it's like to play at an elite level. And now he's back on that level. If nothing else, this proves -- at least to him and no doubt his family -- that despite disappointing stops in Denver and New York with the Jets the last few years after after leaving Baltimore, he made the correction decision to stick it out.

So did Browns General Manager Andrew Berry, whose early November call to Flacco began the Browns' improbable march to a place that seemed like a pipe dream after Deshaun Watson went down halfway through the season.

The lone quibble is how much better would all this have turned out if Berry had placed that call earlier. The fact it was made, though, makes it that much more satisfying to a fandom that needed a team like this for whom to root. It does, indeed, embody what Cleveland is all about.

And it could get even better.

Barring any surprises in the final weekend of the regular season, the Browns will finish with the fifth seed in the AFC playoffs, which means their likely opponent in the wild-card round will be the AFC South champion on the road. Don't tell anyone, but the Browns swept that division this season.