Jets' Path to Victory Over Browns

This former Jets scout walks through how New York can beat the Browns on Sunday afternoon in Cleveland.

Author:
Daniel Kelly
Publish date:
Sep 18, 2022 8:21 AM EDT

In this story:

Cleveland Browns

New York Jets

Myles Garrett and Nick Chubb.

It is pure and simple. The Jets can win this game if they plan to stop these two explosive playmakers.

Garrett, of course, is the all-world pass rusher on Cleveland. Chubb is their prized running back.

Last season, Garrett blew up the league with 16 sacks and 78 pressures, proving he can wreck an offense practically by himself.

Chubb chewed up a lot of yards on the ground as the second-leading rusher in the NFL. In addition, he had the second-most 20-plus yard runs to boot (12).

The numbers alone paint an accurate picture of the Browns' two best players in the absence of quarterback Deshaun Watson.

I went back and watched the Cleveland and Carolina game last week, and the interesting thing is the Browns greatest strength plays into the Jets greatest strength. Last week, the Browns rushed 39 times for 217 yards, while the Jets became the NFL's No. 3 rushing defense while limiting the Ravens to just 63 yards on 21 carries.

The bad thing is last week, Jets' QB Joe Flacco was under siege all day being sacked three times and pressured 11 times, which brings us back to Garrett.

However, where there is a will, there is a way.

Here are the three keys to the Jets path to victory over the Browns:

1. Max protection

New York has to find a way to double and triple team Garrett and not let him blow up what they are trying to do offensively.

Mike LaFleur, the Jets Offensive Coordinator, must keep a tight-end and/or a running back in to attempt to slow down Garrett as the 37-year old immobile Flacco sets up like a statue in the pocket to throw.

Relying on either of New York's offensive tackles (and their lateral foot speed and recovery issues) to block Garrett by themselves is like giving Cleveland trick-or-treat candy early this year.

There is no way left tackle George Fant or right tackle Max Mitchell will be able to handle Garrett without help (a lot of help), and Garrett likes to flip-flop back and forth from side to side testing both sides, until he finds a way in.

LaFleur may even want to bring in a sixth offensive lineman and set him and play him as a tight end.

Heck, LaFleur may even have to resort to trying to trip Garrett with his headset cord.

2. Play eight in the box

Cleveland's offense is a pound on the ground attack.

The Browns like to run to set up the play-action passing game of QB Jacoby Brissett, who then likes to drive the ball into the intermediate to deep route levels outside of the numbers.

Chubb is the headliner, and reserve running back Kareem Hunt is a tough one-gear runner who comes in to spell Chubb. Hunt can also catch out of the backfield.

Chubb consistently gets up into the second-level of a defense with ease running in-between the tackles, or he can simply bounce it outside and take off.

He can do it all.

Chubb has vision, burst and patience. He can either accelerate up the holes, or he can run with discipline and just wait until a hole opens up before exploding into the open field.

He then switches it up by bouncing it outside.

This is why he is so tough to defend.

Thankfully for New York's sake two of their linebackers, C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams, showed off tremendous lateral playing speed against Baltimore getting out to the sidelines and sealing off the edges.

The key will be having the both of them ready at a moment's notice to flow outside and do likewise to Chubb, while the rest of the defensive front of the Jets stuffs the inside gaps, not allowing Chubb to get started.

This brings us to an important point.