Jets Flashed Remarkable Resilience in Wild Win Over Browns
Sunday's 31-30 victory for New York over Cleveland will go down as the team's finest hour to date for this regime.
I went back and watched the game film, and the thing that stuck out most is the Jets never said die.
New York was coming off a 24-9 home opening loss to Baltimore, and they could have easily let the Cleveland game get out of hand.
The Jets fell behind 7-0, but answered to knot it up at 7-7.
The Browns then went up 14-7, and instead of answering this time around, Jets' quarterback Joe Flacco fumbled after getting hit by Cleveland edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney.
That could have been the defining moment.
Here we go again...
Honey, hand me the remote...what else is on?
Wait...the Jets held them on the next drive, and then tied it up 14-14 right before halftime after Flacco hit rookie running back Breece Hall in the flat and he ran it in.
Maybe there's hope?
Cleveland didn't waste much time going up 17-14, and New York's offense sputtered a little bit on their next drive before hitting a key 57-yard field goal by their new kicker this season, Greg Zuerlein.
It was a field goal to some, but these three points meant a lot to the Jets, and these three points especially meant a lot to Zuerlein.
On that particular drive it started to look like the same ol' Jets again.
A couple more self-defeating penalties and a couple more incompletions...
Honey, do you have the remote?
Wait, Zuerlein, a kicker who was released after producing a lackluster performance in Dallas last season, actually got it through the uprights from that distance?
Yes.
The score was knotted up 17-17, before Cleveland went up 24-17 with 9:21 to go.
What a shame.
After the Jets had done a decent job keeping Cleveland's two star players, running back Nick Chubb and pass rusher Myles Garrett, from completely destroying them...
After pulling off that fake punt...
After the big hits cornerback D.J. Reed and linebackers Quincy Williams and Kwon Alexander had...
After the well-managed game QB Joe Flacco had produced...
After the breakout game for rookie receiver Garrett Wilson...
After defensive end Carl Lawson and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams converged on Browns' for a sack on that critical third and 18 with 4:58 to go...
It looked like it was all for not and it looked like Jets' Head Coach Robert Saleh was going to drop to 0-2 and go back to collecting receipts.
The Jets got the ball back after that Lawson and Williams sack, but went three and out.
Then came the knockout punch, or so it seemed.
Chubb found the end zone for the second-time for Cleveland, putting the Browns up 30-17 with 1:55 left.
Cleveland missed the extra point, but who cares?
Honey...
Wait.
Two New York touchdowns in the final two minutes for the win?
The Jets did indeed bend, but they certainly did not break.
In fact, they did more than just not break.
New York won when it looked like they were going to lose again at several different pivotal points of the game.
That's saying something.
MORE:
- This Mistake From Nick Chubb Led to Jets' Dramatic Comeback Over Browns
- Jets Stun Browns With Miraculous Comeback in Final Two Minutes of Fourth Quarter
- These Other Teams Are Capitalizing on Jets' Kicking Woes
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