Joe Flacco, Browns handle Jets for playoff berth

CLEVELAND – Joe Flacco's improbable renaissance season reached another level on “Thursday Night Football” as he led the Cleveland Browns to a playoff berth with a 37-20 victory over the New York Jets. York.

Flacco became the first player in NFL history to total 250 passing yards and multiple passing touchdowns in each of his first five games with a franchise. The Browns signed Flacco on November 20 after Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury on November 12.

The Browns led 34-17 at halftime, marking the highest-scoring first half since 2019, when the 49ers and Saints combined for 55 points in Week 14 (the 49ers won 48-46 ), according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns are playoff bound.

The Browns destroyed the New York Jets to clinch their first AFC playoff berth since 2020.

Cleveland, with four straight wins, is advancing at just the right time heading into the playoffs.

QB Breakdown: Flacco was fabulous once again. For the fourth time in five starts, he led the Browns down the field on the opening drive for a touchdown. He then capped Cleveland's 34-point first-half barrage by coming out of the pocket to his left to find a wide-open Jerome Ford for a 50-yard touchdown. In the first half alone, Flacco threw three touchdowns and passed for 296 yards, the most in a half of his career, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He now has over 300 passing yards in each victory of this four-game winning streak.

Buy on exceptional performance: Tight end David Njoku is playing the best ball of his career. With star receiver Amari Cooper (heel) out, Njoku stepped up with 113 receiving yards in the first quarter. That alone was the second-best receiving game of his career. Njoku has four touchdowns in his last four games and is proving to be one of the best receiving threats tight ends in the league.

A crucial game: Rookie safety Ronnie Hickman intercepted Trevor Siemian for a 30-yard pick-six in the first quarter. This gave the Browns a 20-7 lead that put the Jets on their heels for the remainder of the game. –Jake Trotter

Next game: at the Bengals (to be determined, Sunday January 7)

New York Jets

The idea that Aaron Rodgers' planned return in 2024 will magically fix the New York Jets — the company's course of action — is woefully misguided. They have too many problems to solve for any one player to solve them, and many of them were exposed in an embarrassing prime-time loss.

Along with the usual sins – sloppy penalties, questionable play calls, shaky game management, etc. – the Jets were undermined by the supposed strength of the team. Their third-ranked defense looked ill-prepared and was torched by Flacco.

The Jets had no answers for a Cleveland offense that was down to its fourth quarterback and without its best wide receiver (Cooper) and its best running back (Nick Chubb). And yet Flacco, 38, played like it was 2012, the year he led the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl title. The Jets allowed five touchdowns and 367 total yards – in the first half!

And the Jets started the season thinking they could recreate the 1985 Bears. Cue the laugh track.

Robert Saleh's record fell to 17-34 as the Jets (6-10) posted double-digit losses for the fourth straight year.

Disturbing trend: The Jets' QB4 (Siemian) was largely outplayed by the Browns' QB4, highlighting a question that will haunt the Jets this offseason: Why didn't they re-sign Flacco when Rodgers was injured in the first week ? Flacco is enjoying a career revival, showing the Jets what they could have had. Meanwhile, the Jets' quarterback play has been among the worst in the league.

The biggest hole in the game plan: OK, we're nitpicking, given the mass ineptitude, but the Jets' coverage scheme for tight end David Njoku was terrible. Linebacker CJ Mosley covered him on a few of the big plays in the first quarter, setting the tone for the game. Mosley is a terrific player, but pass coverage is not his strength. He allowed three completions for 76 yards as the closest defender, according to Next Gen Stats. Njoku finished with 134 yards on six catches.

Silver linings: Breece Hall was the best player on the field for the Jets. He rushed for 84 yards and scored on a 21-yard reception, continuing his late-season progress. Defensive end Jermaine Johnson made the play of the night, returning an interception 37 yards for a touchdown, and Garrett Wilson became the first Jets player since Keyshawn Johnson (1998-99) to reach 1,000 receiving yards. during consecutive seasons.

Bold prediction: Siemian – not Zach Wilson – will close the season against the New England Patriots. Even if Wilson is in concussion protocol, why would he want to come back for this mess? — Rich Cimini

Next game: at Patriots (to be determined, Sunday January 7)