Written by Thomas Moore

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Some questions we are pondering following this weekend’s NFL Wild Card playoff games (and how they relate to the Cleveland Browns).

How is it that the national media was so insistent on selling the notion that the Cincinnati Bengals were a good team? Consider:

• The Bengals were 3-5 in the second half of the season
• The Bengals were 0-4 vs. Pittsburgh and Baltimore this season, losing by an average of 12.5 points per game.
• By comparison, the Browns were also 0-4 against the Steelers and Ravens, but only lost by an average of 8.75 points per game
• The Bengals only beat one team with a winning record all season
• The Browns have won as many playoff games since 1990 as the Bengals

How is it that the Bengals gave up 188 rushing yards, the Falcons gave up 172 rushing yards and the Lions gave up 167 rushing yards in their games? We thought the Browns were the only team that ever struggled against the run?

How is it that the Browns won as many playoff games this year as the Bengals and the Steelers?

How is it that the Lions – like the Bengals, a fraud of a playoff team, gave up 626 yards of total offense – breaking a 49-year-old record – and 459 passing yards to the Saints? We thought the Browns were the only team that ever struggled on defense?

How is it that Browns general manager Tom Heckert was able to hoodwink the Falcons into giving up multiple draft picks – including a first round pick – for Julio Jones, only to see the Falcons score two points in their playoff game?

How is it that the Falcons only scored two points against a Giants team that gave up 25 points per game during the regular season?

How is it that anyone could still question if the Browns got the better end of that deal?

How is it that Denver’s Tim Tebow had five completions of more than 30 yards against the Steelers’ No. 1 ranked defense?

How is it that we saw so many seven-yard pass plays on third-and-nine? We thought the Browns were the only team that did that?

How is it that the Bengals are the first team in NFL postseason history to play four consecutive playoff games, score first in each and lose each of the four games? Oh, that’s right, they’re the Bengals.

How is it that Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis blew his last challenge on a meaningless play with 34 minutes left in the game? We thought the Browns were the only team to make sideline mistakes?

How is it the Pittsburgh’s Ryan Mundy blew the coverage on the game-winning touchdown against Denver? We thought the Browns were the only team to ever blow a coverage on defense?

How is it that Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin let 23 seconds run off the clock – holding two timeouts – at the end of the fourth quarter when the Steelers had a chance to drive for a game-winning field goal? We thought the Browns were the only team with clock-management issues?

How is it that the Falcons blew not one, but two fourth-and-short calls against the Giants? We thought the Browns were the only team to have dubious play calling?

How is it that Browns center Alex Mack can play a game with appendicitis, but Pittsburgh’s Maurkice Pouncey can’t play with a sprained ankle?

How is it that the NFL just seems more fun when the Saints are good?

Finally, the biggest question of the day:

How is it that the Browns seemed to be playing an entirely different game this year than the eight teams we watched this weekend?