Jets steal much-needed win over Browns after botched snap
The Jets needed this.They needed it like oxygen.The Jets could not, under any circumstances, afford to lose to the Browns Sunday at MetLife Stadium.A four-game losing streak, a 1-4 record and another Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s of irrelevance stared them in the face.Text with Brian Costello all season as he brings Sports+ subscribers the latest Jets intel from on the field and off.
Entering Sunday, the Jets started a season with a 1-4 record 14 times and in only one of those seasons made the playoffs in 2002 when they rallied to finish 9-7.They don’t have to worry about that at the moment, not after their tense, gritty 17-12 win over the Browns, a win that lifted them to 2-3 to keep them well within their goals.The Jets stole a game it appeared they’d allowed to leak away in the fourth quarter when running back Braelon Allen, in the midst of a career day, scored on a 22-yard run with 3:01 remaining in the game to give the Jets a 17-12 lead.The Jets had gotten the ball on the Cleveland 23-yard line when Browns punter Corey Bojorquez let a snap slip through his hands with 3:52 remaining. Jets reserve linebacker Trevin Wallace recovered the gift, and Allen, who finished with 116 yards and a TD on 24 carries, took it from there.The Browns had taken a 12-10 lead on a 29-yard scoring pass from Deshaun Watson to Denzel Boston with 6:15 remaining.The extra point attempt by Andre Szmyt hit the right upright and missed.Earlier, in the third quarter, the Jets had a chance to seize control in the second half when they drove the ball to the Cleveland 11-yard line with a chance to take a 14-6 lead.Enter former Jets linebacker Quincy Williams, who wasn’t re-signed by the Jets after last season.Williams blew up Jets rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq with a punishing hit that forced a fumble that was recovered by Cleveland safety Ronnie Hickman with 5:49 remaining in the third quarter.It was the third forced fumble of the game for Williams, who’d wa...