Jets vs. Browns Week 17 Odds, Best Bets and Predictions
The New York Jets are in Cleveland on Thursday to take on a Browns team that’s living out their dream. Cleveland is on its way to locking up a playoff spot and ending its postseason drought thanks to its top-flight defense and the play of an aging quarterback: Joe Flacco.
It makes it all the more poetic and painful that Flacco spent the previous three years in New York. The Jets, of course, put all of their faith this offseason into Aaron Rodgers, who suffered a season-ending injury on the first drive of the opener, and were forced to start a fourth different quarterback in last week’s comeback win. But New York (6–9) has already been eliminated from postseason contention, extending its playoff drought to 13 years, while Cleveland (10–5) is on its way to securing a wild card spot and still has an outside shot at winning the AFC North.
The Browns are hefty 7.5-point home favorites over the Jets with Zach Wilson’s (concussion) status up in the air. The over/under is set at just 35.5 points, according to SI Sportsbook, which gives New York an implied total of just 14.
Jets vs. Browns Odds and Game Info
Moneyline: Jets (+265) | Browns (-333)
Spread: NYJ +7.5 (-125) | CLE -7.5 (+100)
Total: 35.5 — Over (-118) | Under (-110)
Game Info: Thursday, Dec. 28, 8:15 p.m. ET | Prime Video
Jets vs. Browns Best Bet: Browns -7.5 (+100)
Joe Flacco takes on his former team in the Jets as New York travels to Cleveland on Thursday Night Football in Week 17 for a matchup with the Browns.
Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports
New York and Cleveland Key Stats and Fun Facts:
- The Browns (260.3) and Jets (294.8) rank first and third, respectively, in yards allowed per game.
- The over hits at a relatively high rate for Cleveland (9–6) and a low rate for New York ( 6–9). Both teams frequently have totals set in the 30s.
- The Jets average the fewest yards per game (263.5) in the NFL. Joe Flacco is passing for 326.8 yards on average in four starts.
The Jets nearly blew a 20-point halftime lead Saturday to the Commanders. Three unanswered second-half touchdowns by Washington put New York in a hole with the clock winding down before Trevor Siemian led a drive that put Greg Zuerlein in range for a game-winning 54-yard field goal.
Breece Hall racked up 191 total yards and two touchdowns in the 30–28 victory. He’s had a rough go running the ball as of late but he romped for 95 yards on 20 carries against the Commanders, his most since Week 5. Hall also saw a career-high 16 targets, 12 of which he caught and turned into 96 receiving yards.
The Jets’ stingy secondary allowed just 143 passing yards and picked off Sam Howell twice before he was benched for Jacoby Brissett, who was responsible for leading the comeback effort. The two-point win was New York’s second victory in three games and a quick turnaround from a 30–0 loss to Miami the week prior.
The Browns led the Texans from start to finish in a 36–22 rout in Houston last week. Flacco threw for 368 yards and three touchdowns, his third straight game with 300 or more through the air. The bulk of that production went to Amari Cooper, who set a franchise record with 265 yards on 11 catches and added two touchdowns to boot.
Cleveland gained just 54 yards on 30 carries as Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt, both of whom found the end zone, were stymied by Houston’s front. Still, Flacco’s efficiency through the air, in spite of his two interceptions, powered the team to its third straight win.
Ironically, Flacco led the Jets to a 31–30 victory at Browns Stadium in Week 2 last year. The veteran threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns in that game to get past a bruising Browns run game, led by Nick Chubb. New York cannot count on any production like that under center this week, regardless of whether it’s Wilson or Siemian who gets the start. Against a secondary and pass rush like Cleveland’s, this turnover-prone offense is in trouble.
That’s part of the reason why the Browns, even as such heavy favorites, are the pick here. Cleveland is 7–1 straight up and against the spread at home and covered a line larger than this one earlier in the year. On the other hand, the Jets are 1–4–1 on the road against the number and 1–3 when getting points on the road. At this point, there’s very little New York has to play for while the Browns have playoff seeding on the line — and Flacco just might have revenge on his mind.
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