Browns face Jets, on verge of first playoff berth since 2002
CLEVELAND (10-4) at NEW YORK JETS (1-13)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS
OPENING LINE - Browns by 9 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD - Browns 6-8; Jets 5-9
SERIES RECORD - Browns lead 15-12
LAST MEETING - Browns beat Jets 23-3 on Sept. 16, 2019, at East Rutherford, New Jersey
LAST WEEK - Browns beat Giants 20-6; Jets beat Rams 23-20
AP PRO32 RANKING - Browns No. 8, Jets No. 31
BROWNS OFFENSE - OVERALL (10), RUSH (3), PASS (23).
BROWNS DEFENSE - OVERALL (17), RUSH (12), PASS (17).
JETS OFFENSE - OVERALL (32), RUSH (23), PASS (32).
JETS DEFENSE - OVERALL (29), RUSH (14), PASS (30).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - The Browns are on the verge of their first playoff appearance since 2002. It's the NFL's current longest postseason drought. '¦ There are numerous scenarios by which the Browns can clinch a postseason berth on Sunday and almost all of them begin with a win over the 1-13 Jets. '¦ This is Cleveland's second trip to the New York area this week after beating the Giants on Sunday night. '¦ The Browns' 10 wins under first-year coach Kevin Stefanski match the franchise's most since its 1999 expansion return. '¦ Cleveland last won 11 games in 1994, when Bill Belichick was their coach. '¦ The Browns were last 11-4 in 1986. '¦ Cleveland has won five road games for the first time since going 6-2 in 2002. '¦ A win would make the Browns 9-0 against the AFC East, AFC South and NFC East. '¦ QB Baker Mayfield is riding an impressive four-game stretch with 10 TD passes and just one interception. Mayfield has thrown for at least 297 yards in his past three games. '¦ Mayfield has eclipsed 3,000 yards passing for the third straight year, the first Browns QB since Brian Sipe (1979-81) to do that. '¦ The Browns had two 95-yard TD drives against the Giants. '¦ Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb and RB Kareem Hunt have scored 10 TDs apiece. '¦ Browns WR Jarvis Landry has caught at least two passes in 109 consecutive games, the fifth-longest streak in history. The record is 147. '¦ Cleveland's offensive line has allowed 18 sacks, third fewest in the league. Last year, Mayfield was dropped 41 times. ... DE Myles Garrett continued to struggle with his breathing after having COVID-19. He had one-half sack against the Giants and has 11 this season. '¦ Starting left tackle Jedrick Wills has been was placed on the COVID-19 list and starting RG Wyatt Teller is expected to be out again with a sprained ankle. Rookie Nick Harris will likely make his first start for Teller. '¦ The Browns could have both their safeties back as Andrew Sendejo came off concussion protocol after missing one game, and Ronnie Harrison was designated to return from IR. He missed three games with a shoulder injury. ... The Jets ended a franchise-record 13-game losing streak with their victory at Los Angeles. They also ended the possibility of joining only the 2008 Detroit Lions and 2017 Cleveland Browns as NFL teams to go 0-16 in a season. ... New York is looking to win consecutive games for the first time since beating Pittsburgh and Buffalo in the final two games of last season. ... The Jets currently have the No. 2 spot in the NFL draft in April, with Jacksonville leapfrogging them into the top spot. That has some fans upset about the possibility of New York missing out on a chance to take Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the overwhelming favorite to go No. 1 if he leaves school. ... QB Sam Darnold, who has had a disappointing third NFL season, had his best game of the year against the Rams. He went 22 of 31 for 207 yards and a season-best 71% completion percentage with a touchdown and no turnovers. Darnold's 99.8 quarterback rating was also a season high. ... RB Frank Gore played in his 240th NFL game last Sunday, surpassing Lorenzo Neal for the most by a running back in league history. The third-leading rusher in NFL history scored his 100th touchdown last week, tying Pro Football Hall of Famers Curtis Martin and Franco Harris for 11th-most by a running back. Gore needs 48 yards rushing in the final two games to reach 16,000 for his career. ... The Jets have scored on their opening drive in eight straight games, a franchise record and the longest active streak in the league. ... DL Quinnen Williams, who has a team-leading seven sacks, was placed on season-ending injured reserve after suffering a concussion and neck injury against the Rams. ... ILB Harvey Langi, third on the Jets with a career-high 60 tackles, was also put on IR with a neck injury. ... Fantasy tip: It's hard to find a quarterback hotter than Mayfield, who has completed 70 percent of his passes and posted a 117.7 rating in his last four games.
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