The New York Jets are surprisingly 4-3 after finishing 4-12 last season. Before you get to excited about that….the cumulative record of the teams the Jets have beaten is 5-22! The Cleveland Browns are 1-5 and are the kind of team that the Jets have had success against. The Browns, however, could be inspired by the fact that they have a new offensive co-ordinator (Jeff Davidson) calling the plays.
Look for the Jets to come out running the ball against the Browns with their suddenly good running attack. Rookie Leon Washington will get alot of carries but Kevan Barlow will do the heavy lifting near the goal-line. The Browns allow 144.2 yards rushing per game and 4.6 yards per carry. Qb Chad Pennington could have success throwing the ball to Laveranues Coles (42 rec, 566 yards) and Jerricho Cotchery (30 rec, 418 yards) against a secondary that is playing guys like Ralph Brown and Daven Holly at corner.
Coach Davidson couldn’t pick a better opponent to start his job as offensive co-ordinator against. The Jets can’t stop the run (142.4 yards per game, 4.5 yards per carry) or the pass (229.9 net yards passing per game)! Look for the Browns to come out running the ball. Reuben Droughns should finally have a good game as he only has 257 yards rushing this season. The Jets really don’t have much of a pass rush, so Charlie Frye could actually have a good game throwing the ball. Look for short shots to Kellen Winslow (33 rec, 317 yards) and Joe Jurevicius to set up long passes to Braylon Edwards (22 rec, 357 yards).
This game will be a very close game in which the outcome could come down to one big play. I have a feeling that one of the kick-returners will have a game-altering play in this game. Hard for me to pick a side here, it would have been easier if Maurice Carthon had not been fired, because there’s no telling what the Browns offense will be up to.