It was unpredictable from this unpredictable year.
The Jets were without defensive lineman Quinnen Williams. The Browns’ ten-time win was in town and scored five wins in six games with the league’s third rankings.
So, in typical 2020 form, the top seven of the Jets played like the best unit in the league.
That kept the Browns, who were without their top four receivers due to their COVID-19 protocols, to 45 running yards on 18 cars. It fired Baker Mayfield four times, which was a season high. Nick Chubb was held to 28 yards of the season. With the game in the balance, it forced Cleveland’s last two possessions and yielded a total of three.
“It proves that we are not stopping, and that we are still getting closer to winning every week,” said linebacker Tarell Basham after Gang Green won their second consecutive game, 23-16, against the Browns on Sunday afternoon. less MetLife Stadium won. . ‘Good game plan. Our coaches enabled us to make plays and we showed up today to make plays. We played with energy, enthusiasm and flew around and got to the ball. ”
John Franklyn-Myers, Frankie Luvu, Nathan Shepherd and Basham each had bags. Basham forced two tricks and Luvu created another. Franklyn-Myers and Folorunso Fatukasi each got one.
Basham was the big star and came big in the last minutes. While the Jets were four points ahead late in the fourth quarter, he hit Mayfield from behind and shook the ball loose. That led to a Jets field goal and a seven-point lead.
But the Browns had one last chance and drove to the Jets’ 16-year-old track. At fourth-and-1, Mayfield retained it. But when he turned to win extra yards, Basham stripped him of the ball again and took the victory by 1:25.
“We hit back so much on the inside,” Basham said. “We hit back so much on the inside. Baker had nowhere else to go, which forced him to get out of my way. ‘
“Blessed, honest, blessed to be able to play such a team in such a critical moment in the game,” he added.
The Jets defense was set on fire by the Seahawks on December 13 for 41 points and 410 yards. The previous week allowed the Raiders to overcome a long pass with five seconds left. But over the past two weeks, the unit has faced the Rams and Browns big, surpassing some potential playoff teams after conceding at least 30 points in five of its previous six games.
‘Guys keep fighting. “It means a lot to us as players to come and play to win, and actually win a game and not just continue to go home losses,” Basham said. “We have children. That’s the last thing. you want to explain to your children every week that you are a loser.
“You want them to be winners, but you do not seem to be winning. So it’s big for us as players. ”