The Cleveland Browns played their biggest game since the rebirth of the franchise in 1999 Sunday afternoon in Cincinnati. The Browns had a chance to clinch a playoff birth for the first time since 2002 when they went 9-7 and lost in the opening round of the playoffs to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 36-33.

Instead the Browns wasted a golden opportunity as they lost to the Bengals, 19-14, Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. Watching the Browns play reminded me of watching Ray Rhodes coach the Green Bay Packers in 1999. Can anyone say – DEER IN HIGHLIGHTS look the whole game.

Just like Rhodes took one of the most talented team in the league to an 8-8 mark in his only season as head coach of the Packers, the Browns displays the same characteristics of the gum-chomping head coach in a game that could’ve brought respect back to the franchise located on the south end of Lake Erie.

The performance of Derek Anderson, one of the league’s most pleasant surprises this season, left the Browns leaving Cincinnati smelling like the lake they are located on. If you have ever been to the Flats in downtown Cleveland, you will definitely know what I am talking about. 

Like one of Anderson’s wind-blown passes, the chance to clinch a playoff spot slipped right through the Browns hands.

No surprise, really. Nothing comes easy to these guys.

Anderson threw four interceptions Sunday, two of them setting up rapid-fire touchdowns that left the upstart Browns scrambling for a playoff spot instead of celebrating one.

Cleveland (9-6) could have clinched with a victory over the down-and-out Bengals (6-9), who had nothing more than pride on the line and several starters out with injuries. The Browns acted more like the team playing it out.

They dropped passes. They botched a field-goal attempt. They came up short on fourth-and-short. Ultimately, they couldn’t overcome a bad game by Anderson.

Anderson tied his career high with the four interceptions, leaving the Browns needing help to get a wild-card berth. Tennessee’s 10-6 victory over the Jets later Sunday left the two teams tied with 9-6 records, but the Titans have the tiebreaker on their side.

Cleveland finishes at home against San Francisco. Tennessee ends the season at Indianapolis, which has already clinched the AFC’s No. 2 seed. With Cleveland’s loss, the Pittsburgh Steelers won the AFC North title.  

The Browns had everything in their favor. Thousands of their fans were in the stands, taking advantage of local indifference to another losing season. Scalpers had plenty of tickets available on street corners.

Now the only way the Browns can return to the postseason is if Indianapolis beats Tennessee next Sunday night in a nationally televised game from the RCA Dome in downtown Indy.

The Colts played Sunday’s 38-15 rout of the Houston Texans as their season finale in the minds of most of the brass connected with Indianapolis. The Colts will rest the majority of their starters against Tennessee this weekend.

The Colts, who two weeks ago clinched the No. 2 seeding in the AFC playoffs, will play starters early on Sunday in their season finale, Dungy said. But as was the case in a victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday, head coach Tony Dungy said they won’t likely play the entire game.

And in fact, they may play a bit less.  

That’s not good news for reindeer in the Flats in Cleveland. Next time you have a big game in December, please remember one thing – sunglasses. At least you can avoid the deer in headlights look and maybe you’ll get your Christmas wish – a playoff birth.