The Browns playoff position stayed unchanged after Cleveland and New England both lost: eighth in the AFC, tied with the Patriots at 5-4 but outside the field on a tiebreaker.

Both defeats came against NFC opponents, leaving the decisive conference records untouched: New England is 5-1 against the AFC, compared with Cleveland's 3-3. The Patriots still hold the final wild-card spot.

Green Bay handed New England a 45-27 loss Sunday. Cleveland had an opening to move ahead outright and came up one conversion short.

Browns playoff position: one spot out

Cleveland also remains third in the AFC North. Pittsburgh and Cincinnati are both 6-2. Baltimore sits fourth at 4-5.

The wild-card line is closer than the division lead: Cleveland has the same record as seventh-place New England.

The Texans are Cleveland's next opponent, at home on November 15.

Another narrow finish went the wrong way

The Browns fell 23-22 in overtime at New Orleans, their first consecutive losses this season. Kicker Andre Szmyt forced overtime with a 51-yard field goal, and tight end Harold Fannin Jr.'s 39-yard touchdown reception gave Cleveland a chance to win.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, making his first start this season, threw incomplete under pressure on the two-point attempt. Head coach Todd Monken told the Associated Press he never considered the extra point: "It was going to be win or lose."

Cleveland had already failed to score on a fourth-and-goal run from the Saints' 1-yard line.

Through eight games, every Cleveland win had come by four points or fewer, with those five victories producing a combined 16-point margin.

Eighth place is a reprieve after two straight losses. Passing New England was there for the taking.

Image: AI-generated image.