11:35 p.m.-BROWNS BREAK 19-GAME WINLESS STREAK WITH 21-17 VICTORY OVER JETS
CLEVELAND -- The winless streak has come to an end for the Cleveland Browns.
After 18 losses and one tie since their Christmas Eve victory over the San Diego Chargers in the second-to-last week of the 2016 regular season, the Browns fought their way to a 21-17 come-from-behind victory over the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Down by a 14-0 count early in the second quarter, the Browns scored 21 of the game’s final 24 points to close out their first September win since a 28-14 decision over the Tennessee Titans on September 20, 2015.
With quarterback Tyrod Taylor suffering a concussion in the first half, rookie Baker Mayfield was pressed into service, but he responded to the challenge and completed 17 of his 23 throws for 201 yards, and more importantly, engineered four scoring drives to complete the comeback.
Running back Carlos Hyde scored two touchdowns and totaled 98 yards on 23 carries, while wide receiver Jarvis Landry caught eight passes for 103 yards in the win.
PHOTOS | Cleveland Browns face New York Jets on Thursday Night Football at FirstEnergy Stadium
11:14 p.m.-CARLOS HYDE SCORES GO-AHEAD TOUCHDOWN
CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Browns running back Carlos Hyde plowed his way through the New York Jets’ interior defense and into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter of their Thursday Night Football game at FirstEnergy Stadium.
On third-and-goal from the one-yard line, Hyde lowered the shoulder, kept his feet drive and never stopped on his way into the end zone for his second rushing touchdown of the game.
The ensuing extra point was good from rookie kicker Greg Joseph, and that gave the Browns a 21-17 lead over the Jets with 2:04 left in regulation.
10:45 p.m.-BROWNS DRAW EVEN WITH JETS
CLEVELAND – Cleveland Browns running back Carlos Hyde fought his way into the end zone, and an unconventional two-point conversion drew the team even with the New York Jets, 14-14, with 42 seconds left to play in the third quarter of their Thursday Night Football game at FirstEnergy Stadium.
On first-and-goal from the New York one-yard line, Hyde took a handoff from Mayfield, ran to the right side of the formation and kept his legs moving despite a host of Jets defenders bottling up the gaps at the line of scrimmage.
Despite being hit at the line of scrimmage by a pair of New York defenders, Hyde powered his way through the tackle attempts and extended the ball across the goal line for the touchdown.
Then, the trickery began.
After offsetting penalties wiped out the first two-point conversion attempt, which resulted in a sack-fumble for the Jets, the Browns got a second chance and took full advantage of it.
At the start of the play, quarterback Baker Mayfield ran out of the backfield on a pass pattern and the ball was directly snapped to running back Duke Johnson Jr. Johnson ran right and pitched the ball to wide receiver Jarvis Landry, who then floated a pass toward Mayfield on the left side of the field.
Left open on the play, Mayfield hauled in the game-tying conversion attempt.
After celebrating in the end zone, Mayfield was greeted by hugs and high-fives from nearly everyone on the sideline, including Coach Hue Jackson.
10:32 p.m.-BROWNS SETTLE FOR FIELD GOAL AFTER TURNOVER IN NEW YORK TERRITORY
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns’ opportunistic defense once again forced a turnover, but despite recovering and returning a fumble deep inside New York territory, the offense sputtered and settled for a 27-yard field goal from rookie kicker Greg Joseph with 5:21 left in the third quarter against the Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Rookie cornerback Denzel Ward forced and recovered a fumble against Jets wide receiver Robbie Anderson, and then, returned it from the New York 28-yard line to the eight.
10:15 p.m.-WATCH: CLEVELAND BROWNS QB BAKER MAYFIELD COMPLETE FIRST NFL PASS
CLEVELAND -- The best laid plans Of Mice and Men…well, maybe not.
Since acquiring Tyrod Taylor in a trade with the Buffalo Bills in March, the Cleveland Browns’ coaching staff and upper management stated he would be the starting quarterback throughout the offseason program, training camp and the regular season, but an injury changed those plans.
After Taylor was taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion, which he was later diagnosed with, rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield entered the game and led a scoring drive that was capped off by a 45-yard field goal from newly signed first-year kicker Greg Joseph with 29 seconds left in the first half against the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium.
Not one to shy away from the moment, Mayfield came out firing and completed back-to-back throws for a combined 31 yards, and after being stripped of the football on a sack, came back and threw a 16-yard completion to wide receiver Jarvis Landry on the ensuing play.
On first-and-10 from the Cleveland 34-yard line, Mayfield took the shotgun snap, quickly surveyed the field, pump-faked a throw, and then, fired a pass to wide receiver Jarvis Landry down the seam on the right side of the formation.
Mayfield threw the pass in-between two Jets defenders, and Landry secured the catch near the first-down marker before hustling up the field for another five yards. On the next play, Mayfield threw low and to the right of David Njoku, but the second-year tight end snared the pass for a 17-yard gain down to New York’s 35-yard line.
After being sacked and losing eight yards, Mayfield completed a 16-yard throw to Landry and set up Joseph for the field goal attempt.
Joseph’s kick cut the Jets’ lead down to 14-3.
Mayfield completed three of his four attempts for 47 yards in the first half.
9:18 p.m.-ISAIAH CROWELL PUTS JETS UP BY TWO SCORES
CLEVELAND -- Former Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell is doing a number on the defense while carrying the ball for the New York Jets in their Thursday Night Football matchup at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.
On the second consecutive drive, Crowell rushed for a touchdown and put the Jets ahead of the Browns, 14-0, with 7:54 to play in the first half of their interdivisional matchup.
Crowell capped off the 10-play, 63-yard scoring drive with a two-yard dive into the end zone.
9:01 p.m.-JETS TAKE 7-0 LEAD ON ISAIAH CROWELL TOUCHDOWN
CLEVELAND – The Cleveland Browns expected to see a strong effort from their former teammate, New York Jets running back Isaiah Crowell, and after a slow start to the game for the New York offense, the Jets gave the Browns a heavy dose of the run late in a scoring drive.
Crowell ran for gains of six and seven yards respectively on the final two plays of the possession and punctuated the drive with a touchdown run around left end that put the Jets ahead of the Browns, 7-0, with 14:56 to play in the first half from FirstEnergy Stadium.
On second-and-goal from the Cleveland seven-yard line, Crowell took a handoff from rookie quarterback Sam Darnold on the right side of the formation, hustled back left and sprinted his way into the left front corner of the end zone untouched by the Browns’ defense.
The Jets’ first scoring drive was set up by a punt that was batted out of the air and out of bounds for a three-yard loss credited to Browns specialist Britton Colquitt.
8:45 p.m.-WATCH MYLES GARRETT SACK SAM DARNOLD
CLEVELAND -- Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett attracted plenty of blockers against the New Orleans Saints, and because of that, was unable to shed them long enough to make a play in the opposing backfield, but that was not the case against the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium Thursday night.
Garrett got a drive-stopping sack of Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold and forced a punt from deep inside New York territory with 4:45 remaining in the first quarter of play.
On third-and-10 from the New York 32-yard line, Darnold took the shotgun snap from center Spencer Long, but as he progressed through his drop, Garrett got past a Jets blocker and sacked the first-year signal-caller for a six-yard loss.
At the start of the play, Garrett lined up over right tackle Brandon Shell, but ran a stunt that got him beyond the reach of both Long and left guard James Carpenter and into the backfield, where he wrapped up Darnold for his third sack of the season.
Garrett registered his first two sacks of the year in the opening-week 21-21 tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 9.
Darnold came up hobbled after taking the sack, but remained in the game for the Jets.
6:20 p.m.-BROWNS LOOK FOR FIRST WIN AGAINST JETS
CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns had no time to lament the missed kicks and other miscues that came back to haunt them in last Sunday’s 21-18 loss the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, not with a short week on their hands.
Following the loss in New Orleans, the Browns flew back to Cleveland Sunday night and immediately got to work preparing for tonight’s game against the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium on Thursday Night Football, and their sole focus is putting a mark in the win column.
“Every week has its own pressure,” quarterback Tyrod Taylor said earlier in the week. “As a team, we focus on getting better each and every week. We could easily be sitting 2-0 right now. A couple of errors in the first two games and we are sitting at a tie and one in the loss category. Something that we have to clean up and get better at.
“Of course, every week, in my mind, as well as the team’s, is a must-win just because you know how important each and every week is. Definitely an opportunity for us to erase the feelings that we have had the past two games. Close games in the first two weeks did not go our way, but we have an opportunity in this game in front of national media, as well as everybody watching the Thursday game, to erase that taste.”
Here are three things to watch for in tonight’s game.
“Every week has its own pressure,” quarterback Tyrod Taylor said earlier in the week. “As a team, we focus on getting better each and every week. We could easily be sitting 2-0 right now. A couple of errors in the first two games and we are sitting at a tie and one in the loss category. Something that we have to clean up and get better at.
“Of course, every week, in my mind, as well as the team’s, is a must-win just because you know how important each and every week is. Definitely an opportunity for us to erase the feelings that we have had the past two games. Close games in the first two weeks did not go our way, but we have an opportunity in this game in front of national media, as well as everybody watching the Thursday game, to erase that taste.”
CALLAWAY TO GET EXPANDED ROLE
Browns rookie wide receiver Antonio Callaway may be only two games into his career, but the speedy pass catcher is expected to have an expanded role within the offense after the team traded Josh Gordon to the New England Patriots Monday.
With the Browns deactivating Gordon the day before the Saints game because of a hamstring injury, Callaway made the most of his opportunities, hauling in three passes for a team-best 81 yards, including a game-tying 47-yard touchdown in the loss.
“It can open up the offense for sure,” Taylor said of Callaway’s speed. “He is an incredible talent, and the opportunity is here for him to grow and for us to grow as a team, and we are going to need his playmaking ability to definitely step up for us to be successful as an offense, as well as everyone else. He can definitely run, and we are going to need him to do that well.”
TURNING DEFENSE INTO OFFENSE
The Browns have forced eight turnovers in the first two weeks of the 2018 regular season, but despite being plus-six in the turnover ratio, converting those takeaways into points has not be easy for the offense, no matter how short the field.
That is something the Browns are looking to change in a hurry, especially with rookie quarterback Sam Darnold and the Jets in town tonight. Darnold has thrown three interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown in a win at the Detroit Lions.
“That’s the essence of football, truthfully,” wide receiver Jarvis Landry said. “When a defense gets turnovers, you gotta make it hurt and the only way to do that, whether it’s three or it’s six, obviously you want to score touchdowns like you say. When you get a short field, you gotta get points.”
ROOKIE KICKER’S DEBUT
On Monday, the Browns signed rookie kicker Greg Joseph and waived Gonzalez after the latter missed four kicks in Sunday’s loss at the Saints, which brought his failed attempts to five over the first two games of the regular season.
During Joseph’s four-game stint with the Miami Dolphins during the preseason, he made all three of his field goal tries and both extra-point attempts before being released at the end of training camp. Joseph was 57 of 82 in field goal tries during his career at Florida Atlantic University.
“Been working a lot. Been busting my butt,” Joseph said. “I’m ready to give everything I’ve got. I know that there’s still room for me to get better, and I’m aware of that. That’s something I’m keying in on and definitely looking to improve my game here and keep elevating it.”
FOLLOW ALONG
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