Cleveland Browns vs. New York Jets: 10 Ways the Browns Will Ground the Jets
The 6-2 New York Jets come to Cleveland Browns Stadium to face the upset-minded and resurgent 3-5 Cleveland Browns in a very intriguing matchup that has more drama that a Jersey Shore episode.
The New York Jets have been in the spotlight this past off-season with the high-profile acquisitions of LaDainian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor, Antonio Cromartie and Santonio Holmes. With these pick-ups the New York Jets became the NFL's version of the NBA's "super-team" Miami Heat, as Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis once proclaimed.
And then there was that little Hard Knocks HBO cable series and the Darrelle Revis holdout drama also.
But for all their marquee acquisitions, the Jets have not lived up to the self-proclaimed domination amidst the media hype.
As it seems the Jets are becoming more known for the off-field and (locker room) issues than their on-field performance as the recent Jenn Sterger and Ines Sainz incidents can attend to.
What is truly sad is that for all their history, the Jets organization and fanbase has always had a Big Blue inferiority complex, playing in the shadow of that other New York football team, the Giants, who may be the best team in the NFC that no one is talking about.
But how can you even hear about them when the Jets loud-mouthed and brash head coach, Rex Ryan, is always running his mouth like a New York Marathon. Of course there is that former Michigan wide receiver that plays there too.
Here are 10 things to look for in the Browns' latest upset.
No. 10: Browns Must Take Away Jets Running Game
1 of 11
For the New York Jets, it is very simple, Run the ball, stop the run and play tough defense. You would think that the Jets are in the AFC North with Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Cleveland.
The New York Jets bring the fourth-best rushing offense and the fourth-ranked run defense to Cleveland.
If Cleveland is going to have any chance at winning on Sunday, then it must not let the Jets establish the run.
Led by a revived LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene, the Jets will try to pound the ball and wear down the Browns defensive line.
Tomlinson currently leads the Jets with 599 yards rushing and five touchdowns, while Greene provides a more physical, inside running attack as he is second on the Jets with 391 yards rushing and one touchdown.
No. 9: Take Away Dustin Keller
2 of 11
In a conference that features prolific pass-catching tight ends such as Antonio Gates from San Diego, Dallas Clark in Indianapolis and even the underrated Zach Miller from Oakland, Jets tight end Dustin Keller is quietly making a name for himself as one of the best tight ends in the AFC.
The fifth-year player fro Purdue leads the Jets with 50 receptions and is second with 447 yards receiving behind Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards. Keller is also tied with Edwards in receiving touchdowns with five.
Keller is Mark Sanchez's go-to guy in third downs and clutch situations. For Cleveland to win this game, they must take Keller away from Sanchez in the passing game.
No. 8: Force Sanchez To Beat You By Throwing The Ball
3 of 11
As one of the up-and-coming signal callers in the league along the likes of Detroit's Matthew Stafford, Atlanta's Matt Ryan and Baltimore's Joe Flacco, New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez is a promising talent.
Sanchez, the second-year pro from the University of Southern California, has thrown for 1,692 yards, 10 touchdowns and five interceptions, Sanchez has also been sacked 12 times and has a 53.5 completion percentage and a modest 79.4 QB rating.
In the Jets' two losses to Baltimore and Green Bay, Sanchez was a combined 26-for-59 for 330 yards and two interceptions. He was sacked four times as he compiled a 54.8 QB rating and completed only 44.8 percent of his passes.
What Cleveland must do is force Sanchez to beat them by throwing the ball, because in the Jets' run-heavy offense, Sanchez is a glorified game-manager. If the Browns can jump out early and force the Jets to somehow abandon the run, then Sanchez will not enjoy his trip to the North Coast.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
No. 7: Look For The "Ameoba" Defense To Confuse Sanchez
4 of 11
In Cleveland's back-to-back upsets, the "Ameoba" defense has confused Super Bowl winning QB's Drew Brees and Tom Brady like a roided-up Sudoku puzzle. Just imagine what it can do to a QB who only completes 53.9 percent of his passes and has been sacked 12 times this season so far.
If the Browns are going to win, they must get consistent pressure on Sanchez and force him into some bad throws. With the Jets offensive line being in a state of disarray by knowing where the blitz will come from, the Browns have a good chance of confusing Sanchez.
No. 6: Move McCoy Outside of the Pocket
5 of 11
Not many quarterbacks have done well against Rex Ryan's blitz-happy defense, let alone rookies.
What Brian Daboll must do is get McCoy out on the edge on bootlegs and even some quarterback-designed runs to keep the Jets defense honest.
With the Jets expecting a heavy dose of Peyton Hillis, McCoy could try to go deep on some play-action strikes down field.
Also look for Browns tight ends Evan Moore and Benjamin Watson to be used heavily in blocking and catching situations.
No. 5: Stay Off Revis Island
6 of 11
This is fairly easy. If I am Brian Daboll, I would seriously consider using Peyton Hillis out of the backfield on screens and tight ends to attack Revis.
Clearly, Browns de facto No. 1 wide receiver, Mohamed Massaqoui, will be covered by Revis, but look for McCoy and Daboll to attack the side of the field with Antonio Cromartie and rookie Kyle Wilson more instead.
No. 4: Look For Cribbs to Be a Factor
7 of 11
With Jets All-Pro defensive back Darrelle Revis covering Mohamed Massaqoui, look for Joshua Cribbs as a sleeper threat to have a big game.
Not only is Cribbs a very deadly threat to score, but in Wildcat formations and as a wide receiver, he could certainly help McCoy in tight spots.
Plus, the Jets have one of the more suspect special teams units in the NFL. Watch out for Cribbs every time he touches the ball.
No. 3: Look For Hills to Have a Good Game, Not a Great Game
8 of 11
Peyton Hillis has meteorically risen from Denver Broncos after-thought to AFC Pro Bowl candidate during the Browns' upset victories. If that is to continue, then Hillis is going to find things difficult against the fourth-best run defense in the league.
Hillis will not have a repeat performance of his 186 yard rampage against the New York Jets, as the Jet's defense is NOT New England's.
Look for Daboll to deploy lot of screens and even split Hillis out as a wide receiver in some formations to confuse the Jets. With the Jets so focused on stopping Hillis, look for McCoy to use play-action downfield.
No. 2: Cleveland's Tight Ends Will Be Key
9 of 11
With the Browns already anemic at the wide receiver position, look for the Browns to use a lot of two-tight end formations with Benjamin Waston and possibly Evan Moore split out to spread the Jets defense out.
The Jets defense may be vaunted, but it also gives up a fair amount of points to opposing tight ends, and Watson will surely be a mismatch for the Jets secondary.
Also look for Hillis possibly used out of the tight end spot as well.
No. 1: Make Braylon Edwards a Non-Factor
10 of 11
You can't help but wonder how a athlete such as this won the Biletnikoff Award in college and then led the NFL for two years in drops?
How did someone like this become more known for his mouth instead of his production?
That is the riddle of Braylon Edwards, who has declared this game his "personal war" against the city of Cleveland and the Browns.
While you cannot help but overlook the fact that Edwards is the Jets leading receiver in yards at 453 and is the deep home run threat for them, you cannot help but escape the feeling that he will somehow choke and be all but invisible.
Look for T.J. Ward and the Browns secondary to give Edwards a proper "homecoming."
Prediction: Browns 20, Jets 17
11 of 11
For all the hype leading into this game and the numerous subplots and twists, you cannot help but notice that Cleveland seems to be the more confident and focused team, while thew New York Jets are doing what they have done best since this past summer, run their mouths and make for a good soap opera.
While Edwards return will provide some spice, I see that the Browns have found themselves a new identity as a team, play tough smash-mouth football, a smart and intelligent QB who manages the game and doesn't try to do too much and a timely defense that is better than what people think.
Combine those factors with the fact that Cleveland has momentum coming off of a 34-14 thrashing of a perennial NFL powerhouse in New England, the Browns are primed to take the next and final steps on Sunday.
Look for the Browns to contain the Jets on the ground and make Sanchez uncomfortable and while wide receiver, Santonio Holmes and tight end, Dustin Keller will make some plays, look for Edwards to be a non-factor as the Browns pull off another upset, 20-17 and move to 4-5 and officially in the AFC Wild card race.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=600 "Post-June 1 Trade Candidates ☎️")
.JPG?w=600 "TO Talks Cowboys Relationship")
.jpg?w=600 "Taylor Heinicke Retiring")
.jpg?w=600 "49ers OC Hypes Mike Evans 🤩")