Jake Trotter
Wealthy Cimini
Wealthy Cimini
ESPN Employees Author
Wealthy Cimini is a employees author who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Wealthy has coated the Jets for over 30 years, becoming a member of ESPN in 2010. Wealthy additionally hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He beforehand was a beat author for the New York Day by day Information and is a graduate of Syracuse College. You may observe him through Twitter @RichCimini.
CLEVELAND — Joe Flacco’s inconceivable revival season reached one other degree on “Thursday Evening Soccer” as he led the Cleveland Browns to a playoff berth with a 37-20 win over the New York Jets.
Flacco change into the primary participant in NFL historical past to have 250 passing yards and a number of passing touchdowns in every of his first 5 video games with a franchise. The Browns signed Flacco on Nov. 20 after Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending shoulder damage on Nov. 12.
The Browns led 34-17 on the half, marking the highest-scoring first half since 2019, when the 49ers and Saints mixed for 55 factors in Week 14 (the 49ers gained 48-46), in keeping with ESPN Stats & Data.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are playoff certain.
The Browns destroyed the New York Jets to clinch their first spot within the AFC playoffs since 2020.
Cleveland, with 4 straight wins, is surging at simply the correct time heading into the postseason.
QB breakdown: Flacco as soon as once more was fabulous. For the fourth time in his 5 begins, he led the Browns down the sphere on the opening drive for a landing. He then capped Cleveland’s 34-point first-half scoring barrage by scrambling exterior the pocket to his left to seek out Jerome Ford extensive open for a 50-yard landing throw. Within the first half alone, Flacco tossed three touchdowns and handed for 296 yards, probably the most in any half in his profession, in keeping with ESPN Stats & Data. He now has greater than 300 passing yards in each victory of this four-game successful streak.
Purchase on a breakout efficiency: Tight finish David Njoku is enjoying the most effective ball of his profession. With star receiver Amari Cooper (heel) out, Njoku stepped up with 113 receiving yards within the first quarter. That alone was the second-best receiving recreation of his profession. Njoku has 4 landing catches over his previous 4 video games and is proving to be one of many league’s prime tight finish receiving threats.
Pivotal play: Rookie security Ronnie Hickman intercepted Trevor Siemian for a 30-yard pick-six within the first quarter. That gave the Browns a 20-7 lead that put the Jets on their heels the remainder of the way in which. — Jake Trotter
Subsequent recreation: at Bengals (TBD, Sunday, Jan. 7)
New York Jets
The concept Aaron Rodgers’ anticipated return in 2024 will magically repair the New York Jets — the corporate line — is woefully misguided. They’ve too many points for one participant to unravel, and lots of of them had been on show in an embarrassing loss in prime time.
Along with the standard sins — sloppy penalties, questionable playcalling, shaky recreation administration, and so forth. — the Jets had been undermined by the supposed power of the crew. Their third-ranked protection seemed ill-prepared and bought torched by Flacco.
The Jets had no solutions for a Cleveland offense that was on its fourth quarterback and did not have its prime extensive receiver (Cooper) and prime working again (Nick Chubb). And but the 38-year-old Flacco performed prefer it was 2012, the yr he led the Baltimore Ravens to the Tremendous Bowl title. The Jets allowed 5 touchdowns and 367 whole yards — within the first half!
And the Jets went into the season considering they may recreate the 1985 Bears. Cue the giggle observe.
Robert Saleh’s report dropped to 17-34 because the Jets (6-10) hit double-digit losses for the fourth straight yr.
Troubling pattern: The Jets’ QB4 (Siemian) was badly outplayed by the Browns’ QB4, underscoring a query that may hang-out the Jets into the offseason: Why did not they re-sign Flacco when Rodgers was injured in Week 1? Flacco is having fun with a profession revival, displaying the Jets firsthand what they may’ve had. In the meantime, the Jets’ quarterback play has been among the many worst within the league.
Greatest gap within the recreation plan: OK, we’re nitpicking, contemplating the mass ineptitude, however the Jets’ protection plan for tight finish David Njoku was horrible. Linebacker C.J. Mosley coated him on a few the massive performs within the first quarter, setting the tone for the sport. Mosley is a terrific participant, however go protection is not his power. He allowed three completions for 76 yards as the closest defender, in keeping with Subsequent Gen Stats. Njoku completed with 134 yards on six catches.
Silver linings: Breece Corridor was the most effective participant on the sphere for the Jets. He rushed for 84 yards and scored on a 21-yard reception, persevering with his late-season surge. Defensive finish Jermaine Johnson made the play of the night time, returning an interception 37 yards for a landing, and Garrett Wilson turned the primary Jets participant since Keyshawn Johnson (1998-1999) to succeed in 1,000 receiving yards in back-to-back seasons.
Daring prediction: Siemian — not Zach Wilson — will shut out the season towards the New England Patriots. Even when Wilson clears concussion protocol, why would he wish to return for this mess? — Wealthy Cimini
Subsequent recreation: at Patriots (TBD, Sunday, Jan. 7)
