When you think primetime matchup on Monday Night Football, Browns versus Jets is probably not what pops into your head. The Browns are finally being talked about positively and were a popular bet to win the Super Bowl over the summer. The season didn’t get off to the start their fans, and frankly, most of football were anticipating though
The Titans beat the Browns in every aspect of the game with a 43-13 blowout win in Week 1. It was a defensive battle in the first half with the Titans leading 12-6. Cleveland closed the lead to 15-13 on a David Njoku touchdown catch before Tennessee scored four straight touchdowns. The last of which was a Baker Mayfield interception that was returned for a pick-6.
The Jets played a much tighter game against the Bills. The Jets opened up a 16-point lead before surrendering the next 17 points to lose. Josh Allen found John Brown for a 38-yard touchdown with three minutes left to take the lead, and ultimately clinch the win.
The line currently sits at Browns -6.5 and the over/under is 45.
Browns Out to Quiet Doubters
Cleveland is out to prove all the preseason hype is real, and that Week 1 was just a fluke. The offense consisting of Mayfield, Nick Chubb, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry was supposed to be high on firepower. It was anything but in Week 1. One thing they will have to correct is the penalties. They committed 18 against the Titans.
Although Mayfield threw for 285 yards, the concerning part was his three interceptions. The Browns would like to be a balanced team, and 38 passes compared to only 20 rushing attempts is not the mix they were hoping for. Chubb was effective, rushing for 75 yards on 17 carries.
The Browns defense was much better than the final score would indicate. The offense put them in tough spots all day, and they actually gave up less yardage than the Browns gained. Pressure was not a problem, as they racked up four sacks, including two from Myles Garrett.
Jets Turn to Siemian
Sam Darnold is out this week, and probably next, with mono. Trevor Siemian last played in 2017 with the Broncos where he threw 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. To say there is a dropoff between Darnold and Siemian is an understatement.
Darnold only threw for 175 yards on 28 for 31 passing but did have a touchdown and no interceptions. Le’Veon Bell looked fresh in his first game in over a year, going for 60 yards on the ground and 32 receiving yards and a touchdown on six catches. The Jets only gained 68 yards on the ground against the Bills, but Cleveland gave up 123 yards against Tennessee, so look for a bigger game from Bell.
Jamison Crowder was Darnold’s favorite receiver in the opener. He had 17 targets for 14 catches and 99 yards. It will be interesting to see if Siemian spreads it around a little more evenly.
The Jets defense surrendered 382 yards of total offense, with 128 of those coming on the ground. They will need to create more pressure this week as they only had one sack against Buffalo.
The Pick
This game started the week at -2.5 for the Browns. Since the news of Darnold broke, bettors thought the Jets should “kiss” their chances goodbye, and this line moved quickly. Bettors were all over the Browns, where the line finally settled at -6.5. I’m not sure Darnold is worth four points, but with the combination of his loss and having to play Siemian, it seems about right.
I think the Jets will lean on Bell heavily and try and control the clock. I really think the best play here is the under 45.
Jets 21, Browns 17
Free Pick: Under 45
