Browns Clinch Playoffs in 37-20 Win Over Jets

-Tom Mele, Contributor 

The Jets were not playing for much on Thursday Night. Playoffs no longer a possibility, and the season has come down to self-respect. The Jets (6-10) had more playoff hype going into 2023 than any team in the NFL and rightfully so. They not only have the longest playoff drought in the NFL at 13 seasons but also in all of professional sports!!
 

The Browns, meanwhile, have never been to a Super Bowl so their fans were ecstatic last night as Cleveland (11-5) remarkably clinched a playoff berth despite all their season long injuries. Cleveland picked up former Jet QB Joe Flacco off the scrap heap and inserted him as their fourth Qb of the season
and the results have been outstanding. Flacco was 19/29 for 309 yards and three TD’s including one to former Jet WR Elijah Moore.

Brown's Coach Kevin Stefanski must be coach of the year for picking up the pieces on a Browns team that started the season losing All Pro RB Nick Chubb, in week two. Plugging holes into an offensive line that has been minus their top two offensive lineman and overall, 12 injured players.

Pro Bowl WR Amari Cooper who had 265 yards receiving the previous week for a Browns record was a game time decision to not play due to a heel injury. No matter. Stefanski and his coaches found a way. TE David Njoku was a first quarter force catching 5 passes in the first 10 minutes to extend drives on
third downs. Njoku finished with 6 catches for 134 yards. The first half ended with Cleveland on top 34- 17. The Browns defense, much likes the Gang Greens has been a force all year and did enough to coast in the second half to victory.

RB Breece Hall proved again his talent is ready to burst out as he carried 13 times for 84 yards and 9 catches for 42 yards including a 21 yard catch and run TD pass from QB Trevor Siemian who was 32 for 45 for 261 yards but he threw a pick six to Cleveland Safety Ronnie Hickman that pushed the lead to 20- 7 in the first quarter.

The Jets had their own pick 6 as DE Jermaine Johnson, who is having a fine season, ran a deflected Flacco pass back for 37 yards and a score. The 34 points and 428 yards of offense by Cleveland was the most the Jets have allowed all season. Flacco threw for a amazing 296 yards in the first half as he became the first QB in 34 games to pass for over 300 yards against NY. He is also the first Browns QB to have 300 yards passing in four straight games.

It is a tale of two teams with similar plights going in opposite directions. Cleveland looks to achieve Super Bowl dreams for the first time as the playoffs start in two weeks while the Jets look to regroup for 2024. The first task is a final matchup with hated coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots in the season finale as Belichick faces off against the Jets for the final time in this storied rivalry.
 

Thank you to everyone who has followed the JETS 2023 season and all the other contributors who provide content for this brand-new social media provider: BCP +

Happy New Year !!