Of all the games happening this week, this is definitely one of them. The no longer tanking New York Jets (2-2) make their own trek to post apocalyptic Ohio to face the winless Cleveland Browns (0-4) at FirstEnergy Stadium.
If you want to watch this game, and God help you, I don’t know why you would do that to yourself, you can tune in to your local CBS station at 1 p.m. EST.
The Game: New York Jets at Cleveland Browns (-1)
O/U: 39.5
The History
The Browns and Jets have played 24 games going back to 1970. Cleveland leads the all time series 13-11.
New York and the Browns have met once in the playoffs, though it may be hard to believe these days. On January 3, 1987 Cleveland beat the Jets 23-20 in overtime in the AFC Divisional playoffs.
NEW YORK JETS (2-2)
Here’s a sneaky fact about this Jets team. For the last three weeks, win or lose, they’ve scored at least 20 points. What does that mean? It means New York can move the ball and has a reliable kicker. Last week, against a pretty good Jacksonville Jaguars defense, the Jets rushed for 256 yards and two touchdowns. They nearly put both Bilal Powel (21 carries for 163 yards and a TD) and Elijah McGuire (10 carries for 93 yards and a TD) over the century mark. McGuire added two catches foe 38 yards.
Quarterback Josh McCown had a respectable day passing, finishing 22 of 31 for 224 yards and a pick and he spread the ball around to seven different receivers so the Jags couldn’t key in on one guy. They did all that without Matt Forte and if New York isn’t careful, not only is it going to screw itself out of the No. 1 pick, they might end up out of the Top Three. It would be kind of a disaster.
If the Jaguars had been able to muster any kind of offense, last week’s game would have flipped easily. New York managed just one sack of Blake Bortles, if you can believe it, and only four stops in the backfield. The lone pick was from Kony Ealy, so you can’t point at a defensive back having a particularly good game. For his trouble in making a play last week, Ealy is listed as out with a shoulder injury. Forte, too, will be in street clothes.
CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-4)
Unlike the Jets, the Browns have hit 20-plus points just once this season, in a 31-28 loss to the lowly Colts. Last week against the Bengals, Cleveland managed just seven points and it was in garbage time after the Cincinnati Bengals already held a 31-0 lead.
DeShone Kizer looks a lot like the quarterback I thought he’d be coming out into the draft. He’s inaccurate, he doesn’t know how to make his reads and he’s an interception machine. He’s thrown eight picks in just four games and is on pace to throw 32 this season, which would tie him for the fourth most in NFL history. His quarterback rating is 50.9 and his completion percentage of 51.4 is only slightly higher. They’ve thrown this kid to the wolves and he was probably never going to be more than a backup anyway. The fact that he sat atop so many scouts’ QB listings for most of the off-season is mind blowing.
But here’s the good news, Cleveland-ers. Myles Garrett, your No. 1 overall draft pick, will actually suit up and play Sunday after practicing all week. Will that make a difference? Who can say? The Jets have faced better pass rushers this season, Calais Campbell last week for one, and escaped. How much can Garrett really do by himself?
The Pick
The Browns are in the midst of some historic losing. They’ve won just four of their last 41 games. You would hope that this is the match up that could at least put a break into that trend, but the Jets have made the conscious decision not to completely suck ass this season. Todd Bowles might actually even save his job. I don’t know where this Browns team wins a game. Maybe the Jaguars at home on Nov. 19? At Chicago on Christmas Eve? I don’t see it happening Sunday. Jets 20, Browns 13
This week
Straight up: 1-0
Against the spread: 1-0
Last week
Straight up: 9-7
Against the spread: 10-6
Season
Straight up: 37-26
Against the spread: 32-31
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