NY Jets Face Tough Challenge Against Surging Browns: Thursday Night Showdown

By Nick Ferraro Posted On December 27, 2023

The NY Jets won for the second time in three weeks on Sunday at home against the Commanders. That may be spinning things a bit as the Jets were blanked at home by Miami between those two wins, and they nearly blew a big lead and lost to Washington, but a win is a win. The Jets now have six wins this season. Six wins is several less than most people had projected at this point, but the football gods had different plans for Gang Green.

The Jets travel to Cleveland to play the 10-5 Browns in this week’s Thursday night matchup. The Browns are surging toward the playoffs. Cleveland has won three straight games, and they boast the league’s top-rated defense. An elite defense and a solid running game wasn’t enough for the Browns to be considered a threat for the AFC crown. That has changed with the return of Joe Flacco. Flacco has given the Browns a competent air attack and a bonafide deep passing game. Cleveland didn’t need much given the roster, and Flacco has been more than enough to push the Browns into relevance in the conference.

The Jets present Joe Flacco with his stiffest test to date. The Jet’s third-ranked defense is clearly superior to the defenses that Flacco has faced since his return. The Jets are particularly stingy in allowing passing yards. Thursday will tell us if the Browns are capable of producing via the air against the type of competition Cleveland will see in January.

The Jets are up against it this week as the odds (+7.5) indicate. Cleveland should be able to dominate the Jet’s offensive line and stymie the Jet offense. New York will need to somehow win the turnover battle and create short fields for their offense. Flacco has thrown seven interceptions in the four games he has played. He is immobile, and he can be pressured into making mistakes. The bottom line if there is just no way to figure the Jets will create enough offense to win this one. Cleveland will control this game throughout sending the Jets to their tenth loss of the year.