Browns Diary, Wild-Card Round: When It’s Over

Houston 45, Cleveland 14

OK, so, what’s left to feel now? The Browns did the most Browns thing imaginable on Saturday. They were entirely unprepared for their playoff game in Houston, the defense got run out of the stadium in the first half, Joe Flacco turned back into Joe Flacco at halftime, and Houston beat Cleveland by 31 points. It might as well have been a million. The Browns literally gave up with more than 13 minutes left in the game.

So what’s left to feel now? Disappointment? Sure, I guess.

Gratitude for this unlikely playoff season that should have been a disaster after all the injuries and misjudgments? Yes, I guess that too.

Hope for the future? Maybe. I don’t know. The Browns are fairly young, I suppose. You would expect better injury luck. They also have no high draft picks and a looming salary cap crossroads ahead. So maybe. Maybe not.

Truth is, I didn’t feel much of anything. The Browns Diary has always been an exploration of fanhood; that’s the point. And in doing my weekly Obi-Wan Kenobi search of feeling—I couldn’t, in good conscience, feel angry about the Browns losing a playoff game they had no business being in after they lost their best offensive player in Nick Chubb, both of their tackles and their 12 bajillion-dollar quarterback.

On the other hand,