CLEVELAND — CLEVELAND — Editor’s note: the video from the player above is from Dec. 27, 2020.

When the Cleveland Browns lost to the New York Jets on Sunday, many viewed the defeat as a significant blow to the team’s playoff chances.

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After all, the Browns had entered Week 17 with around a 90 percent chance of clinching a playoff spot this season, according to various forecasts from outlets including ESPN, Five Thirty Eight, The New York Times, Football Outsiders and even NBC News’ Steve Kornacki. But after losing to the Jets — in a game that would have clinched a playoff spot for Cleveland — the Browns have since seen those postseason odds drop to between 53 and 68 percent, depending on the outlet.

That figure, which varies based on each outlet’s projection system, however, is likely to be misleading. Here’s why:

While the Pittsburgh Steelers have yet to announce whether they’ll play their starters in this Sunday’s regular-season finale in Cleveland, oddmakers seem to have a strong indication of Mike Tomlin’s plans. Despite Pittsburgh being 12-3, the 10-5 Browns are currently listed as a 7-point favorite — a clear sign that the Steelers are expected to rest several key players, including starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on Sunday.

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While that can always change — especially if the New England Patriots beat the Buffalo Bills on Monday night and give Pittsburgh the inside track to the No. 2 seed in the AFC — the idea of the Steelers resting their starters makes a lot of sense. Due to COVID-19-related rescheduling, Pittsburgh has yet to have a traditional bye week and is coming off a brutal stretch in which it played five games in a 26-day stretch.

So what does have to do with the Browns’ playoff odds?

Since Cleveland only needs a win over the Steelers to secure a playoff spot, the baseline of the Browns’ playoff odds should start with the likelihood they beat Pittsburgh. With the moneyline listed at Cleveland -275, there’s a 73.3 percent implied probability of the Browns winning on Sunday.

Factor in the scenarios in which Cleveland could still qualify for the postseson with a tie or loss, and the Browns’ playoff odds are even higher than that — at least based on the betting odds. So while Sunday’s loss was an undeniable hit to Cleveland’s chances of ending the NFL’s longest active playoff drought (17 years), it may not have been as big of a hit as some forecasts would lead you to believe.