How will the Browns stop the Jets' run game?
The Jets rank third in the league in average rushing yards per game, running the ball on average 143.6 yards per game. RB Breece Hall leads New York with 117 carries for 581 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Yet, the Browns also must be aware of the dual-threat ability of QB Justin Fields if he starts on Sunday, as he can use his legs to run the ball — totaling the second-most carries among the Jets with 53 for 288 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
"It just makes you defend one extra guy," defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. "It's like having an extra blocker out there because you have to have availability to handle the quarterback. So, a lot of different ways to do it, but it certainly adds a different dimension. (Justin) Fields has tremendous speed. He's a 4-3 type quarterback. He's got great size. They have called quarterback runs like quarterback sweeps, particularly in short yardage. They have quarterback draws and then they have options, whether it's a zone read or an RPO and things like that. It just really makes you play sound."
This season, the Browns are limiting opposing teams in the run game, as they give up an average of 94.3 rushing yards per game — the ninth best in the league. If the Browns can stop the run and force the Jets to throw the ball, as a team that ranks last in the league in average passing yards per game, they can bottle up their ability to move the ball downfield and score.
"I think it's the highest percentage of run game on base downs that we've seen all year. Breece Hall seems to patient enough to find the hole, has speed to test the perimeter, and we all know Justin Fields' zone read, carrying the ball, rush yards. He has like five touchdowns, zero interceptions," S Grant Delpit said. "We have two zone-read teams back-to-back weeks, so it kind of helps us out in that area. But as we know, dual-threat quarterbacks are what the league's kind of turning into, so it'll be a good test."