A Team Total Look In Jets Vs Browns Thursday Night

Jets vs. Browns, 8:15 ET

Christmas weekend saw a lot of football spread out over the course of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. This week, we get our normal Thursday game, but just one Saturday game and then everything on Sunday with nothing but college football happening on Monday. Personally, I like watching Redzone so more games is better for that. Unfortunately for us, we only have one game tonight, and it is between the Jets and Browns. Fortunately for us, we can keep it relevant by betting on it.

The Jets are one of the most frustrating franchises I can think of. Obviously they had issues this season with Aaron Rodgers taking fewer than five snaps and missing the rest of the season. Now they are out of the playoff race and they asked him to return so he could be around the team for practice but that bumped another guy off of the roster. Maybe it is the New York media, or maybe it is something else, but the Jets find themselves in the middle of things constantly. They have had four different quarterbacks play for them this season - Rodgers started, Zach Wilson was a warm body, then they turned to Tim Boyle, and now they are on Trevor Siemian. Siemian has started two games in a row and he has produced a win in one and was shutout in the other. Now he must go on the road and face a Cleveland team that is very tough at home and has a good defense. I'd be a bit surprised if they don't shut down some of their team for this game. Anyone who is reasonably banged up and they intend to keep on their roster next year shouldn't play in this game.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 10: Head coach Robert Saleh of the New York Jets celebrates after a touchdown with Zach Wilson #2 during the fourth quarter in the game against the Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium on December 10, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Cleveland is actually having a good season. I know that sentence isn't written very often about the Browns, but at this point, they are playing pretty solid football. They've had a bit of a "next man up" philosophy this season, but it has worked out. They lost Nick Chubb early in the season and Jerome Ford has filled in admirably. They lost Deshaun Watson, and their other quarterbacks filled in well enough until they picked up Joe Flacco off of his couch and he has led them to a 3-1 record with him under center. The passing game is actually an option with him now as he has 300 or more yards in three straight games, none of the other quarterbacks have gotten to 300 this season, and only once did a Browns quarterback get over 250 yards before Flacco. The Jets defense still is very strong and will likely maintain the Browns, but I don't think they will shut them out or anything. The Browns have a legitimate shot at 12-5 for the season and they should win this game, but will they cover?

It isn't like the Browns have been blowing people out lately, but the offense looks as good as it has all season. The defense is very solid on the year and continues to play well at home. The Browns have lost only one game at home all season and haven't allowed more than 28 points to any opponent on their field all year. I don't think they allow this haphazard Jets team to get more than 13.5 points in this one. Sure, two touchdowns isn't hard to get to, but this is a bad Jets offense against a good Browns defense, at home, on a short week.

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