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Browns To End NFL Losing Streak Against Jets

September 19, 2018

The Cleveland Browns continue their quest for their first win since the 2016 campaign when they host the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football.

The Browns tied their opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers as kicker Zane Gonzalez missed a late opportunity to end his side’s winless run in the NFL.

Gonzalez was once again the villain for Hue Jackson’s men, missing two extra points and a field goal in their defeat to the New Orleans Saints. The points he failed to convert were decisive in the loss, forcing Cleveland’s hand in releasing the kicker from their roster.

Greg Joseph takes over the reins as the Browns aim to bounce back from their defeat to earn their first victory in 19 attempts.

Jets quarterback Sam Darnold will be out to prove a point. The Browns passed on him with the first-overall pick in the 2018 Draft, opting to acquire Baker Mayfield instead. Mayfield will not take to the field as Tyrod Taylor continues the starting role, despite his inconsistent start to the term.

New York came back down to earth against the Miami Dolphins after their impressive opening-day win over the Detroit Lions. Todd Bowles will be hopeful that his side can channel their defensive display from their performance on the road against the Lions into the clash with the Browns.

Can Taylor lead the Browns to victory?

Cleveland Browns

The Browns have endured familiar issues at the start of the season. Cleveland last won a regular-season game in the NFL on December 24th 2016. Jackson’s men have had opportunities to end their dismal run, but Gonzalez missed kicks to maintain their winless run in the NFL. On the bright side for the Browns, they are being a lot more competitive than they were last season. The club have faced two talented teams that were in the post-season last term in the form of the Steelers and the Saints. Cleveland have matched them for the majority of both contests, and although they came up short there have been plenty of positives to take.

Taylor is a marked improvement on DeShone Kizer from last season. However, Taylor has still shown a propensity to throw costly interceptions as he did in both of Cleveland’s opening matches. The 29-year-old displayed his talent with his downfield strike to Antonio Callaway down the field. That sort of throw could be the difference between victories and defeats this term. Taylor needs to eradicate the mistakes, but there are signs that he is starting to build a rapport with his receivers. David Njoku needs to see more of the ball, especially as Cleveland made the decision to part with Josh Gordon.  It removed a major distraction from the organisation, although robbing the offense of a playmaker. Njoku, Callaway and Jarvis Landry need to come to the fore for Cleveland against the Jets.

Defensively, the Browns have been excellent in the opening two weeks of the campaign. They’ve held two of the best quarterbacks in the NFL to 21 points. Gregg Williams has received criticism in the past for his defenses, but the coordinator is getting a tune out of this unit. Myles Garrett is a stud on the defensive line and the attention he is starting to attract freed up space for Genard Avery and Larry Ogunjobi to hit the quarterback. Denzel Ward looks to be star in the making at cornerback. The defense cannot afford to let their standards slip against the Jets.

New York Jets

The Jets were outstanding in week one of the campaign, crushing the Lions with an all-round effort. However, they took a step back in their second match against the Dolphins on home soil. For as impressive as Darnold was against the Lions, he took a step back against Miami. The Jet asked more of the 21-year-old after they fell behind in the contest. Darnold played his role in their struggles, throwing two interceptions in the defeat. However, he did pass for 334 yards from his 41 pass attempts.

Darnold will have his rookie ups-and-downs and those sort of performances will be expected throughout the season. The Jets remained competitive in the contest and it’s a positive sign for the 21-year-old’s character on the field. He has formed a good rapport with Quincy Enunwa and Terrelle Pryor in the early stages of his career. That could be a combination that could bring success to New York’s offense for the years to come.

Defensively, New York were truly dominant against the Lions. Darron Lee notched two interceptions in the opener, including one returned for a touchdown. However, the defense were not able to build on their performance in the opener allowing the Dolphins to score three touchdowns in the first half, which allowed the visitors to see out the victory. The secondary had issues containing the Dolphins’ wideouts, although Jamal Adams had another strong outing at the safety position. Ryan Tannehill completed 17 of his 23 pass attempts for two touchdowns. New York have the perfect opportunity to respond from their defeat with a dominant outing against Taylor and the Browns. Their performance could well dictate how successful the Jets will be over the course of the term.

Betting Options

The Browns have to seize the opportunity on Thursday. Cleveland will not have a better opportunity to end their winless streak in the NFL. The Jets have a rookie quarterback on a short week, playing a defense that is playing good football at the moment. Taylor should be able put enough points on the board, while their defense will hold Darnold and company in check.

Jackson’s men have the talent to get over the line and they should be able to get the victory at odds of 1.61Bet €100 to win €16161/100Bet £100 to win £161-164Bet $100 to win $1610.61Bet HK$100 to win HK$161-1.64Bet Rp100 to win Rp1610.6100Bet RM100 to win RM161  with TopBet, while take the Jets on the +3 spread at 2.05Bet €100 to win €20521/20Bet £100 to win £205+105Bet $100 to win $2051.05Bet HK$100 to win HK$2051.05Bet Rp100 to win Rp205-0.9524Bet RM100 to win RM205  with Bovada. Don’t expect a high-scoring contest at Cleveland Browns Stadium therefore take the under on 39.5 total point at odds of 1.91Bet €100 to win €19191/100Bet £100 to win £191-110Bet $100 to win $1910.91Bet HK$100 to win HK$191-1.10Bet Rp100 to win Rp1910.9100Bet RM100 to win RM191  with BetOnline.

Tips Summary

Cleveland Browns To Beat New York Jets
Thursday 20th September 2018 20:20 ET (Friday 21st September 2018 01:20 BST)
Odds: 1.61Bet €100 to win €16161/100Bet £100 to win £161-164Bet $100 to win $1610.61Bet HK$100 to win HK$161-1.64Bet Rp100 to win Rp1610.6100Bet RM100 to win RM161

Take New York Jets +3 Spread
Thursday 20th September 2018 20:20 ET (Friday 21st September 2018 01:20 BST)
Odds: 2.05Bet €100 to win €20521/20Bet £100 to win £205+105Bet $100 to win $2051.05Bet HK$100 to win HK$2051.05Bet Rp100 to win Rp205-0.9524Bet RM100 to win RM205

Under 39.5 Points To Be Scored
Thursday 20th September 2018 20:20 ET (Friday 21st September 2018 01:20 BST)
Odds: 1.91Bet €100 to win €19191/100Bet £100 to win £191-110Bet $100 to win $1910.91Bet HK$100 to win HK$191-1.10Bet Rp100 to win Rp1910.9100Bet RM100 to win RM191

  • Cleveland Browns
  • New York Jets
  • NFL
  • Sam Darnold
  • Tyrod Taylor

    About the author

    Simon Sinclair
    Simon Sinclair

    Sports Writer

    Simon is a freelance sports writer from the UK. He passionately writes about all kinds of sports, sharing his predictions on everything from the latest cricket matches and golf tournaments to major horse racing events and popular American sports.