To say that this game was ugly would be an understatement. The New York Jets had absolutely no business winning this football game, but did so because the Cleveland Browns just can't help themselves from being ... well ... the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns could have easily blown the Jets out were in not for a series of stupid mistakes that sunk them. Let's review:
Mistake #1: At the end of the first quarter, the Browns were moving the football well on New York, with DeShone Kizer actually playing well. After an 18-yard scramble by Kizer on third and three at the Jets 24, Cleveland had a 1st and goal at the Jets six. It seemed almost certain they would score. Ah, but it wasn't to be. Kizer tried to lateral a football to Isaiah Crowell, but the running back wasn't expecting the football and fumbled it. The Jets fell on it, killing Cleveland's drive.
Mistake #2: Thanks to a couple of big throws by Kizer, the Browns were able to erase a couple of offensive penalties to get into field goal range for their kicker Zane Gonzalez. Little did we know Zane Gonzalez would turn into Nick Folk. Yep, he missed it wide left.
Mistake #3: After the Jets gift wrapped Cleveland an interception that put the ball in New York territory, Cleveland shot themselves in the foot when Kizer was picked off by Marcus Maye on third and three from the Jets four yard line.
Mistake #4: Zane Gonzalez .... enough said.
Mistake $5: With Kizer benched, back-up Kevin Hogan was tearing up the Jets defense. He moved Cleveland deep into Jets territory to set up a cheap shot field on fourth and two at the Jets four. With New York already leading 10-7, it was a no-brainer to kick the field goal. Instead, Hue Jackson decided to put his offense back on the field, and the Jets stuffed Crowell for no gain to force a turnover on downs.
As for the Jets, they didn't play well in this game. The offense struggled early, and the running game which was so key to the Jets win over Jacksonville, was non-existent on Sunday. Elijah McGwire was held to just 20 yards on 11 carries and Bilal Powell left the game with an undisclosed leg injury. In addition, a lot the Jets issues in the ground game can be attributed to an offensive line that finding ways to draw penalties, and couldn't block the Cleveland pass rush. It was embarrassing.
It was not until the Jets went into a no-huddle just before halftime that the offense started to show life. Quarterback Josh McCown was 4-for-5 on the Jets final drive of the first half, including connecting with Jeremy Kerley down the sideline for eight yards with six seconds to go. The completion got the football into field goal range for Chandler Catanzaro who nailed the field goal from 57-yards out.
After Maurice Claiborne picked off a Kevin Hogan and brought it back into the Browns red zone, McCown went back to work for the Jets. He hit McGwire for 11 yards to the Cleveland two, and then hit Austin Sefarian Jenkins in the corner of the end zone for the touchdown to give the Jets a 10-7 lead.
Perhaps the best moment of the day for the Jets came in the fourth quarter when New York answered the defensive stand against Cleveland with an 8-play 97-yard drive for a touchdown that put the game away. McCown was 6-for-6 on the drive, but his final two passes were the most important completions of the game. On third and eight at the Cleveland 42, he hit Jeremy Kerley for 18-yards to the Browns 24. Next, McCown connected with Jermaine Kearse on a fade pattern to the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown to put the Jets up 17-7.
Overall, McCown was 23-of-30 for 194 yards and two touchdowns. He wasn't great, but he was good enough when he had to be, especially with the way Cleveland shutdown the Jets run game.
At 3-2 the Jets are now tied for first place with the Bills and Patriots. New York will play host to New England next Sunday at the Meadowlands. Should be fun.
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