CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns suffered a 27-20 loss to the Jets on Sunday, but that’s just what the scoreboard said.
Here are the real winners and losers from the game:
Cleveland Browns vs. New York Jets, November 9, 2025
New York Jets offensive players celebrate the defensive offside penalty by Cleveland Browns defensive end Cameron Thomas that gave the Jets a first down ending the Browns chance of getting the football back in the fourth quarter. John Kuntz, cleveland.com
Loser: Little things
Say it with me, folks: “The little things...it always comes down to them.”
Ironically, this saying was last recounted in Week 6 after Cameron Thomas was flagged for making contact with Pittsburgh’s punter, which extended the Steelers’ drive and led to a touchdown.
Well, here we go again.
Now mind you, the game did not come down to this one play. There were a plethora of mistakes that led to Cleveland trailing 27-20 with under a minute left.
“It’s never going to be about one play,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said after the loss. “Bottom line is we have to play smart. That’s a key to winning and losing.”
However, when your defense is about to get your offense the ball back, and one small mistake prevents that, there’s no room for excuses.
Cleveland had forced a fourth-and-5. The Jets didn’t send the punt unit out, implying their offense was looking to catch a Cleveland defender jumping offside.
Everyone knew the game plan. The whole MetLife Stadium knew. You knew.
As the Jets sent Jeremy Ruckert in motion, Cameron Thomas moved. That resulted in a neutral-zone infraction, and an automatic first down for the Jets.
A snapshot shows the whole Browns defense in disbelief after the penalty, from Devin Bush jumping with his hands on his helmet, to Shelby Harris jawing Thomas, to Myles Garrett on one knee with his face in his hands.
Kevin Stefanski had managed his timeouts well in that final series to force the Jets into the fourth down.
A mistimed jump from Thomas wasted that opportunity.
Loser: Making history
Sunday was a reminder that every ounce of every play counts. Special teams units can decide a game.
Cleveland got on the board first. Thirteen seconds later, Kene Nwangwu answered back with his kickoff return. The Jets provided substantial blocking and cleared the way for Nwangwu’s 99-yard score.
New York’s defense forced a Cleveland punt, and what do you know?
Jets returner Isaiah Williams turned on the jets and sped his way through Cleveland for the 74-yard score.
The two touchdowns on back-to-back special teams possessions changed the tone of the game.
It’s extremely rare for a special teams unit to record both a kickoff and punt return touchdown in the same game.
The last team to record both in the same game were the Ravens, back in Week 6 of the 2017 season.
But the last team to record both in the first quarter was the Chargers, back in Week 10 of the 2007 season, thanks to Darren Sproles.
NFL Week 10: Cleveland Browns at New York Jets
New York Jets Isaiah Williams (18) returns a punt for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025 in East Rutherford, N.J. Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Let’s refocus on the Browns special teams unit, which looked worse for what happened Sunday because they were coming off their bye week.
Last season in the NFL, there were seven kickoff returns and six punt returns for touchdowns. Cleveland was the only team to allow one of each.
This season, there have been three kickoff returns and nine punt returns for touchdowns. Cleveland is the only team to allow one of each.
Embarrassing.
Winner: The Browns’ fire-drill FG unit
Not exactly redemption, but a moment impressive enough to highlight for the Browns special teams.
Toward the tail end of the first half, Will McDonald sacked Dillon Gabriel for the third time of the first half. He’d finish the day with four sacks.
With 13 seconds left, the clock running and no timeouts, Cleveland’s field goal unit had to rush and set up for Andre Szmyt‘s 45-yarder.
They succeeded and tied the game 17-all going into halftime.
Winner: Deep passes
Week 10 was the play-calling debut for Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, after Kevin Stefanski handed him the duties following the bye week.
The one area of question was if there would be an increase in downfield passes.
Going into Sunday, Gabriel had thrown 40 passes that traveled 10 or more yards downfield, completing only 14 of them, per Pro Football Focus.
Furthermore, Gabriel had averaged the fewest average completed air yards (3.2) and the second-fewest average intended air yards (5.8), per Next Gen Stats. Those numbers measure how far the ball travels in the air on a given play.
That changed come Week 10.
Cleveland Browns vs. New York Jets, November 9, 2025
Cleveland Browns quarterback Dillon Gabriel looks for an open receiver on a pass play in the first half. John Kuntz, cleveland.com
Gabriel completed 53.1% of his passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns.
He completed 6 of 9 on passes that traveled 10 or more yards downfield, per Next Gen Stats.
One of those passes put points on the board.
Gabriel dropped back after the fake handoff and delivered a rainbow of a pass to Jerry Jeudy in the end zone for the 22-yard score. The play gave Gabriel his first career touchdown that flew 20 or more yards downfield.
Gabriel posted season-highs in average completed air yards (7.9) and average intended air yards (7.7), per Next Gen Stats. He showed a calm when in the bootleg play action, spotting his target and delivering.
Good on the rook.
Aaron Glenn knew pressure was the Browns’ defensive mantra.
The Jets coach turned Cleveland’s advantage into a disadvantage when it mattered most.
Cleveland sent six defenders toward quarterback Justin Fields, who spotted Breece Hall on the screen pass. The Jets set up blockers ahead that made way for Hall’s touchdown path.
And neither Myles Harden or Denzel Ward could catch up to him as he dove into the end zone for the 42-yard score.
This play gave the Jets their only offensive touchdown on the day.
Glenn spoke about the set-up after the game.
“(Cleveland’s) whole deal was to send as much pressure as they can,” Glenn said. “And usually when you do that, you put yourself in a position to where, if you send everybody to quarterback, you’re going to have one-on-one coverage, which allows us to be able to block our man.”
Loser: Red carpet sacks
Before Sunday, the most sacks New York’s Will McDonald IV had recorded in a single game was three, back in Week 2 of 2024.
The defensive end matched that total in the first half alone Sunday.
The Jets applied the pressure to Gabriel all game, leading to a handful of awkward passes and six sacks, four of which belonged to McDonald.
He was a beast all day long.
In regard to the Browns offensive line, something’s got to give.
After Sunday, they now tie for ninth in sacks allowed (26) and rank ninth in sack yards lost (172).
Winner: Ronnie Hickman Jr.
Early in the second quarter, the free safety read Justin Fields’ pass for Garrett Wilson, and intercepted it. Hickman’s play set up Gabriel’s 22-yard score to Jeudy on the very next play, to give them a 14-7 lead.
Hickman has three career interceptions. Two have come in Weeks 7 and 10 this season.
Loser: Getting cute
Despite Hall’s touchdown, Cleveland was looking to answer back and was moving the chains.
They got as close as the 33-yard line, good enough for field-goal range, but a touchdown would tie it 24-all.
Quinshon Judkins gained 1-yard on a third-and-2, making it fourth-and-1.
Cleveland wanted to go for it. Nothing new: The Browns entered Sunday tied for fourth in conversions per game (1.4).
However, they opted for putting Gabriel in the shotgun instead of giving it to Judkins. Gabriel was sacked by McDonald for a loss of 7, forcing a turnover on downs.
Cleveland Browns vs. New York Jets, November 9, 2025
New York Jets defensive tackle Jay Tufele tackles Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins from behind on a rush in the second half. John Kuntz, cleveland.com
What makes this decision all the more interesting is that Cleveland fed Judkins on Sunday. The rookie running back finished with 22 carries for 75 yards (3.4 per carry).
Why risk such a pivotal moment on a pass with 1 yard needed, when you’ve got a hungry dawg in the backfield?
It should’ve been as simple as brushing your teeth in the morning.
Loser: This stat
Loser: Ohio
The Jets started the season 0-7, marking the 79th time an NFL team did so.
Their first win came against the Bengals, and their second against the Browns — two teams hailing from Ohio and the AFC North.
Now the Jets have won two games in a row for the first time since Weeks 2-3 of last year.
That’s one way to not make Paul Brown proud.
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