In a season where almost everything has been surprising, the fact that Week 18 versus the Cincinnati Bengals has no meaning for the Cleveland Browns is far from the biggest shock. The Browns are locked into the fifth seed while the Bengals are eliminated from the playoffs before the game kicks off.
With nothing to play for, it was expected that Cleveland would rest as many starters as they could. With limited rosters, not many can sit out the game.
QB Joe Flacco was an interesting case as he has a bonus associated with playing and winning games.