Coffee ‘n’ Jets: Browns Game Preview Week 2
It’s time for the Jets to show what’s changed. After a disappointing week one game against the Ravens, fans and media are already circling, and Robert Saleh may be collecting receipts, but unless the Jets show up this weekend against the Browns he can expect more of the same. What did we learn from the Brown’s week one game against the Panthers, and what can we hope to see from the Jets in week 2? Jets Joint writers collaborate previewing the week two game against the Cleveland Browns., and we also get the enemy’s point of view from our friends over at Browns Brawl.
What We Want To See From The Jets
Score some points. Is that too much to ask? The playmakers on this offence are the best we’ve seen in at least seven years when we had Marshall and Decker out there, and even then the Jets are significantly more stacked at WR, TE and RB than they were back then. When Flacco was able to get a pass off against the Ravens Moore and Davis showed that they’re ready to contribute when the ball comes their way. Garret Wilson is going to be a star, there’s no doubt about that. The elusiveness and ability he showed when he got the ball on Sunday was everything the Jets hoped he would be when they drafted him 10th overall in April.
Take the Check-Downs. Get the TEs involved in the passing game early. The Browns are good in coverage and Mike LaFleur needs to make them pay underneath with quick completions Conklin and Uzomah to get Flacco in a rhythm. If he can force the Browns to commit to the short completions and stopping the run it’ll free up so much deeper down the field.
Run the ball. Carter and Hall are going to be so much fun to watch this year, and the O-Line was at its best against the Ravens when it was run blocking. Just like with the TEs, coaching need to hold their nerve and stick with the run when it’s working. They gave up on the run far too early against the Ravens and squandered the strongest part of their offence and the Ravens didn’t have to guess too hard what the next play was going to be.
More of the same from the defence. The Jets defence was the main positive to take away from week one against Baltimore. The CBs were good; the LBs were good; the D-line was good; the safeties were meh but I don’t expect Joyner to get any better, and I don’t want to see Ashtyn Davis on the field. Stopping the run was something the team excelled at last weekend where they struggled all of last year, while this was great to see the level of competition in that area is going to take a significant jump in week two with Nick Chubb carrying the ball compared to Mike Davis and Kenyan Drake.
<img class="lazyload" decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/rolltidewire.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/09/Quinnen-Williams.jpg?w=880&ssl=1" alt="" width="-329" height="-197" data-recalc-dims="1" />
Among the many positives from the Jets defence on Sunday, Quinnen Williams was one of PFFs highest rated interior defensive lineman – Image courtesy of USA Today
Create Turnovers. There’s going to be plenty of chances for the Jets secondary this week. Brissett was overthrowing passes all afternoon against the Panthers which should give DJ Reed and Sauce Gardner opportunities to show off their playmaking skills in week two. The Jets pass rush will be all over Brissett in this game as he doesn’t have the near superhuman ability to extend the play that Lamar Jackson does, so that should increase the chances of him making some unwise throws.
Key Match-ups
Nick Chubb vs The Jets Defence:
Chubb is the only thing I’m scared of on the Browns offence. Against the Panthers 217 of their 355 yards of offence came on the ground and Chubb was responsible for 141 of them. Along with Hunt the RB room for the Browns is a different animal from what the Jets faced in week one. The tackling is going to have to be on point as the Jets cannot allow Chubb to have that second burst that makes him so dangerous. I’ll be looking at the D-line to win their match ups and play patient football, and for Kwon Alexander and CJ Moseley to have a big day.
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How the Jets handle Nick Chubb on Sunday will dictate the final score more than any other factor – Image courtesy of USA Today
George Fant vs Myles Garret
If Fant comes out playing like he did against the Ravens this is going to be a bloodbath. Garrett already has two sacks from the first game and was a nightmare for rookie Ikem Ekwonu in week one. Fant clearly needed more time to settle into the left tackle role have only spent the entire of 2021 and 80% of the off-season playing the position in this scheme, so hopefully now he is more settled and can have a big bounce back against Garrett this weekend.
Flacco vs Flacco
The Jets stand-in QB admitted himself in the post-game press conference that there were options open that he wasn’t taking. We saw him start to go to his check downs more once the game was already over in the 4th quarter, but when he was the offence was moving. Watching the game film you can see that guys are getting open but Flacco was hitching on almost every play, getting himself in trouble when he didn’t have to, holding onto the ball for forever while his WRs and TEs stood and watched from open grass.
Whatever the reasons for it Flacco needs to get out of his head and make the quick decisions. One of the biggest benefits of having a veteran like him under centre is the experience that allows him to read a defence quickly and make the right read. Zach hitching and holding the ball is to be expected to some degree because he’s a rookie, but he’s also got the legs to extend the play when he gets himself in trouble. If Flacco has another uncertain day at the office against Cleveland we’d best hope Zach is ready to go week three.
Betting Jets at Browns
Spread: Browns -6.5
Moneyline: Jets +225
Over/under: 40
Predictions
Jets-Browns game will come down to two things. In the trenches play by the Jets to hold up against the fierce pass rush that the Browns will bring. New York has the advantage when it comes to the run game but will it be the focus or an after thought? Prediction: Jets 27 -17 win in this week 2 matchup. Jets United – Gaetano Fontana
I think it’s going to be a ugly game with very little offence. The Jets are going to need the help of a turnover and/or a big special teams play to come out with a win. Jets Chaos – Jeremy Krevat
We need to dare Cleveland to beat us with Jacoby Brissett’s arms and not their running backs legs. Offensively the O-line needs to take a massive leap forward, Flacco’s inability to move and Cleveland’s lethal pass rush is the makings of a scary combo that doesn’t work out well for the Jets. We have an uphill battle against the Browns but this is a match up we can win. Talking Jets – Thiago Rodrigues
Myles Garrett is the driving force of this Cleveland Browns team. For the 11 weeks that Jacoby Brissett will be the starter, it is Garrett who will determine the wins and loses. We need him to have a big day on Sunday to secure a win in the home opener. Dan Toomey – Browns Brawl
The Browns’s defense is too much for Joe Flacco and the Jet’s offense and Myles Garrett finds his way in the backfield numerous times to send the Jets home at 0-2 Danny Fisher – Browns Brawl
I think the Browns’ will be energized being in front of the dawg pound for the first time this season. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt will have another big afternoon against the Jets defense. I believe the Cleveland defense will cause multiple turnovers against Joe Flacco and the Browns go to 2-0 for the first time in decades. Benjamin Draper – Browns Brawl
For my own part I think this will be a close one that the Jets ultimately win. Both teams are starting back up QBs who are limited in how they can change the game; so it will come down to who has the better roster, and who is better coached. The former goes to the Jets. Although there are game changing starts on both sides of the ball for Cleveland, the Jets simply have greater talent across the entire team.
The big difference-maker here comes for Saleh and his staff against Stefanski: can they come up with a solid game plan and adjust that plan when needed, and do they have it in them to take risks when they need to. Saleh has come out this week with some choice words for the media and the fan base that he now needs to back up on the field. If the coaching staff can do their job this one ends 28-21 in favour of the Jets.