Heading into the game, I asked why I had a degree of blind confidence in the Cleveland Browns. I knew the Browns’ defense would be able to stop **Justin Fields** with ease, and I thought surely, they’d get enough offensive scores to win. What I didn’t go into the game thinking was, “Oh, what if the Browns allow two special teams touchdowns in the first quarter?” Even with that, it was tied at the half, and then in a blink, it just fell apart again, as the Browns lost by a score of 27-20. It’s time for a change at quarterback for the Browns too. Let’s get to the full game recap.
The Browns got the ball first to show off their ‘improved’ offense, but it was anything but that. RB **Quinshon Judkins** ran on first down for 15 yards, but a holding penalty brought it back. A short run was followed by two off target short passes by QB **Dillon Gabriel**, as the Browns went three-and-out and had to punt. The Jets got the ball near their own 40 yard line to begin their first drive. The Jets then went three-and-out with just as bad of a drive, as LB **Carson Schwesinger** was left unblocked and drilled QB **Justin Fields** basically as soon as he took a snap.
In a game where field position will play a factor, the Jets pinned the Browns down to the 5 yard line on their punt. A short run by Judkins was followed by a short completion to WR **Jerry Jeudy**, setting up 3rd-and-5. On third down, Gabriel launched a pass up the right sideline for WR **Cedric Tillman**. Tillman just missed a diving one-handed catch, but the defense was flagged for pass interference to get the ball to the 40 yard line. A jet sweep to WR **Malachi Corley** then went for a burst of 16 yards, the second week in a row it has worked. A bootleg pass to Jeudy then went for 13 yards on a crossing route. A few plays later, facing 3rd-and-4, Gabriel scrambled 8 yards for a first down, and 5 more yards were tacked on by a defensive hold. A few plays later, a playaction fake set up TE **David Njoku** catching a short pass and then rumbling into the end zone for a 9 yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Cleveland’s defense didn’t get a chance to capitalize. On the ensuing kickoff, **Kene Nwangwu** returned it 99 yards for a touchdown to even things up at 7-7.
The Browns then went three-and-out with three straight incompletions by Gabriel, as P **Corey Bojorquez** got off a punt with low trajectory, and **Isaiah Williams** returned it 74 yards for a touchdown. You can’t make this stuff up. Just like that, the Jets were winning 14-7 on two special teams touchdowns in the first quarter.
Cleveland avoided a three-and-out when Gabriel found Jeudy on a short out route on third down. However, things stalled after that when Jeudy couldn’t hang on to a nice downfield pass, and then a swing pass went for a loss of 8 yards. A pass to TE **Harold Fannin** got 16 yards of it back, but Cleveland was still short with a 4th-and-2. The offense stayed on the field, though, despite being at their own 44 yard line. It looked like they were going to actually snap it, but just before they did, Fannin jumped for a false start. Bojorquez came out for another punt, but this time he was stopped at the 25 yard line with 1:44 to go in the opening quarter.
The Browns’ defense allowed nothing again, forcing a three-and-out and quick punt. WR **Gage Larvadain** fair caught it at the 26 yard line with a few seconds left in the quarter. Cleveland ended the first quarter with 87 yards to the Jets 13 yards and had no turnovers, yet were losing 14-7.
The Browns began the second quarter with a 2nd-and-10. Gabriel fired a 9-yard completion to Tillman amidst coverage to set up a 3rd-and-1. A run by Judkins moved the chains, but then on the next play, Gabriel airmailed what either would been a long screen pass. A pass interference penalty on a quick hitter for Jeudy still moved the chains closer to midfield, and then a run by Judkins got into Jets territory. Gabriel was pressured on his next rollout and couldn’t connect with Jeudy. A false start by RG **Wyatt Teller** pushed them back to a 3rd-and-14. Gabriel was then sacked right as he tried to bail from the pocket, forcing a punt after the loss of 12 yards. Bojorquez’ punt sailed to the end zone for a touchback.
The Jets’ offense decided to keep Cleveland in it, as Fields threw an interception right to S **Ronnie Hickman** on the first play, who returned it to the Jets’ 22 yard line.
Gabriel capitalized on the Browns’ first play, as he went for a playaction fake and then lobbed a skyball to the right corner of the end zone, where Jeudy made his way back toward for a diving catch and a 22-yard touchdown to tie things up at 14-14.
The Jets then had their best offensive play (and first first down), as RB **Breece Hall** broke free up the left side for 22 yards, as Cleveland’s defense was more focused on Fields possibly keeping it. The runs continued working, as a jet sweep went for 13 yards. A few plays later, on third down, Fields took off for a first down run, and then 15 yards were tacked on when Schwesinger hit him as he slid (although it looked like he missed him on replay).
Later, on 3rd-and-goal, Fields kept it on a designed run, but the defense stopped it after a gain of a few yards. Head coach **Aaron Glenn** sent in the field goal unit, and K **Nick Folk** connected from 26 yards out to put the Jets back on top at 17-14.
RB **Dylan Sampson** only returned the kickoff to the 23 yard line, where the Browns would have a chance to retaliate with 3:45 remaining. The drive began with a 9-yard pass to Judkins, and he followed that up with a run to the outside for a first down to their own 40 yard line. The Browns headed to the two-minute warning with a 2nd-and-9 and two timeouts remaining. Unfortunately, a playaction tight end screen pass was buried for a loss of 8 yards, making it 3rd-and-17 as now it was the Jets who called a timeout. He was then dumped for a sack for a loss of 9 yards, as the Jets burned another timeout and forced Cleveland to punt.
Bojorquez’ punt was returned to the Jets’ 33 yard line. A short run and then a false start by the Jets made it 2nd-and-14. DT **Mason Graham** got a nice hit on Fields to force an incomplete pass, setting up 3rd-and-14 with 0:59 left. Fields was then sacked by DE **Myles Garrett**, as Cleveland used a timeout to force a punt. Larvadain returned the punt to their own 39 yard line with 0:45 left and one timeout. A great flag route by Fannin picked up 24 yards into Jets territory, and that was followed by a quick slant to Jeudy for 15 yards. The Browns burned their final timeout with 0:27 left, now having the ball at the Jets’ 22 yard line.
Gabriel unloaded quick for Tillman, but the pass should have been intercepted as it was behind him and right to the defender. On second down, the pass to Tillman again was sailed out of bounds. Now with 0:17 left, the margin of getting the ball in bounds wasn’t there. Gabriel then took a sack on third down, and I thought there was 0% chance of getting the field goal unit on the field. The next thing we know, the camera flashes to K **Andre Szmyt** lined up and he drills the 45-yard field goal to tie the game at 17-17 at the half.
At the half, Fields was 3-of-6 (50%) for 5 yards and 1 INT. The Browns out-gained the Jets 159 yards to 62 yards. Those darn special teams touchdowns…
Speaking of special teams, they were flagged 15 yards on the kickoff when DT **Adin Huntington** jumped onto the pile, giving the Jets good starting field position at their own 45 yard line. Cleveland stopped the read-option for a loss of 1 yard, and tipped away the next pass. On 3rd-and-11, Fields was sacked by Schwesinger and DT **Maliek Collins**, forcing a punt that was fair caught at the 10 yard line.
Rain started to fall a bit as the Browns began their drive. Judkins cut back on his first handoff to gain 10 yards and move the chains. A few more handoffs set up a 3rd-and-7. Jeudy snagged a crossing pattern and was able to pick up the first down despite a little bobble. On the next play, off of a hesitation, Judkins gained 11 more yards out to midfield. The drive was set back after that — a run went for a loss of a yard, and then a tripping penalty on RT **Jack Conklin** was for 15 yards and made it 2nd-and-26. Gabriel dodged a sack on second down and ran for 8 yards to make it 3rd-and-18. They still had to punt, though, with the ball being downed at the 26 yard line on just a 36-yard punt.
The Jets quickly faced a 3rd-and-6, but Fields only got a short pass off to the right side for 3 yards, which sent the punt unit back onto the field. Larvadain fair caught the pass at the 19 yard line. Gabriel was then sacked for a loss of 8 yards on the first play, followed by a short checkdown to Judkins for a yard. That quickly made it 3rd-and-17, and then (scratch that) 3rd-and-22 due to a delay of game, backed up at their own 7 yard line. Gabriel checked it down to Njoku, who at least got them out of danger zone for a 12-yard gain.
Bojorquez’ punt was returned out to the 41 yard line with 3:35 left in the third quarter. New York got a 3rd-and-5 situation again, and Fields handed off to Hall for a gain of 6 to move the chains just past midfield. More runs by Hall set up a 3rd-and-2 on the verge of field goal range. They handed it to Hall again, who powered forward for 3 yards and a first down to end the quarter.
Starting at the Browns’ 35 yard line with a fresh set of downs, the rain continued to fall harder. The Jets tried some trickery, though, and it led to a big loss of 7 yards. On the next play, the Browns tried to bring the pressure off the edge, and Fields just got a screen pass off in time to Hall, and it was free-and-clear for a 42-yard touchdown to put the Jets back on top 24-17.
Sampson returned the ensuing kickoff out to the Browns’ 35 yard line. Two runs by Judkins set up 3rd-and-2, and then they called the jet sweep again to Corley. He again made nice moves to gain 15 yards, as that play just keeps on working. Two more runs by Judkins set up a 3rd-and-2. He got the ball again on third down, but was stopped short for a 4th-and-1. They went for it, and lined up Gabriel in Shotgun. He didn’t know what to do and was sacked for a turnover on downs.
The Breech Hall show then continued, as he took his handoff for a burst of 30 yards up the left side, down to the Cleveland 30 yard line. An offsides by Cleveland then made it 1st-and-5, as desperation time started to creep in. Fields kept it, and after so many successful runs by Hall, it worked to perfection for a gain of 6 yards. A few plays later, DE **Isaiah McGuire** did a great job stopping a run pitch for a loss of 9 yards, setting up 3rd-and-20. They gained half of it back with a handoff, and sent Folk out for a 37-yard field goal, which he drilled to make it a 27-17 game with 6:15 to go in the game.
Gabriel was sacked for a loss of 6 yards, but then had back-to-back runs of 18 and 15 yards, each of which had 5 yards tacked on due to defensive holding penalties. A few plays later, it was 3rd-and-7 and Gabriel found Fannin over the middle for 12 yards to the 18 yard line. A scramble by Gabriel and then a drop by Ford made it 3rd-and-6. A short pass to Tillman was short of the sticks, so they sent Szmyt on to try to cut it to a one-score game. Szmyt connected from 29 yards out to make it a 27-20 game with 2:57 to go and all three timeouts.
The Jets ran the ball again with Hall and got an immediate first down to the edge for 12 yards, staying in bounds to let the clock drain. New York called a timeout with 2:06 to go, before running it again with Hall for 3 yards and getting the game to the two-minute warning. Facing a 2nd-and-7, the Browns’ defense needed to prevent a first down, otherwise the game would be over. Cleveland’s defense started well with Schwesinger blowing up the middle for a loss of 9 yards, almost as soon as Hall was trying to get the handoff. On 3rd-and-16, Fields kept it for a sack, but a defensive hold was called on LB **Devin Bush**, giving the Jets a fresh set of downs.
The Jets ran it twice to set up 3rd-and-3, as the Browns burned their final two timeouts. The defense stopped Hall for a loss of 1 yard on fourth down. DE **Cameron Thomas** couldn’t hold his water on fourth down when the Jets lined up for it, though. The official threw the flag for an offsides, allowing Fields to kneel it down for a victory.
* QB **Dillon Gabriel:** 17-of-32 for 167 yards, 2 TD. 5 rushes, 54 yards.
* RB **Quinshon Judkins:** 22 carries, 75 yards (3.4 YPC).
* DE **Myles Garrett:** 1 sack.
* The stats might look like Gabriel had a decent day, but it was way too inconsistent against a bad defense. That is not to excuse the rest of the offense either, but it’s time for a change at quarterback, as the team needs to see what **Shedeur Sanders** has to offer.
* The Browns out-gained the Jets 278 yards to 169 yards. **Justin Fields** basically had no passing yards the entire game. He finished with 54 passing yards, but 42 of those came on a screen pass that traveled a few feet.
* At this point, I guess you can say the Browns at least improved their draft position.
Next up, the Browns are back at home to take on the Baltimore Ravens.
See More:
* [Cleveland Browns Scores & Results](/cleveland-browns-scores-results-live-chat)