For some NFL teams, the path to the playoffs is lit up like an airport runway. For others, like the Cleveland Browns, it's a trek up a winding mountain road in the Himalayas.
But almost every year, there's a team or two that surprises everyone and makes the postseason. Look at Seattle last season. Unfortunately, the Browns don't have the luxury of playing in the NFC West, but they will face all four teams from that weak division this year.
If the Browns want to shock the world and reach the playoffs, there are five key games they'll need to win. Here's a breakdown of those five games.
September 11 - Cincinnati Bengals
The last time the Browns won a season-opener was back in 2004, when they defeated the Baltimore Ravens. That means for six straight seasons, they've started in a 0-1 hole, failing to reach the playoffs in all of those years. A win in Pat Shurmur's debut as head coach would go a long way in achieving the impossible.
Plus, this year's season opener is doubly important since it's a division game. Like the Browns, the Bengals are on the weaker side of the AFC North. The loser of this game sets themselves up nicely for a last-place finish in a stacked division.
September 25 - Miami Dolphins
When the 2010 Browns schedule was released, most fans saw the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs at home as very winnable games to start the season. The fact that they lost both put the team behind the eight-ball immediately.
This year, the Browns' matchup against Miami, at home no less, is a game any playoff-bound team should win. Couple this with a win against the Bengals, and the Browns would be at least 2-1 after three games.
The last time Cleveland started 2-1? It was 2002, which is also the last time the Browns made the playoffs.
October 16 - @ Oakland Raiders
Coming off a bye week, the Browns will make their first of three trips to the Western time zone this season when they travel to Oakland. A team destined for the postseason should be able to win a few road games in the course of a season, and this looks like a winnable game on paper. But games aren't played on paper, and the Raiders are an improved team. This would be a confidence-building road win.
And remember, it was an early season loss in Oakland during the 2007 campaign that ultimately cost the Browns a spot in the playoffs that year. A victory would have given the Browns an 11-5 record and a trip to the postseason. They can't let it happen again this year.
November 20 - Jacksonville Jaguars
This looks like another run-of-the-mill game at a glance. Actually, it's crucial because after the Jaguars, the schedule becomes killer for the Browns. They'll play the Bengals away, the Ravens at home, and then the Steelers away on a Thursday night.
A win before heading into this "meat grinder" portion of the schedule could snowball into success for the Browns. And it would redeem a tough loss from last season.
December 4 - Baltimore Ravens
Every year there are opportunities for a team to shock the NFL world by winning a game they have no business winning. This is another chance for the Cleveland Browns to accomplish that feat after victories over the Saints and Patriots last year. The Browns haven't defeated the Ravens since 2007, when they actually won both contests.
The Ravens defense is still accomplished but is also aging. Catching them and the Steelers twice late in the year could work to the Browns advantage, depending on whom the injury bug has bitten worse.
This year, a home win late in the season against Baltimore would go a long way toward sealing a playoff spot. If they win the games they should win, play the NFC West and their own division tough, and pull off a few upsets along the way, the Browns should be in the playoff hunt come December.
But it'll be a long, uphill battle all season and winning early will be the key. Even being in the hunt would be a major accomplishment for the rebuilding Browns. Making the playoffs? They might elect Pat Shurmur mayor of Cleveland if it happens.
