The Jets are back on the road in Week 5 with a chance to climb north of .500 as they travel to the Dawg Pound for the second consecutive year to square off against the Browns. Cleveland hasn't won a game in 2017, but some pundits believe the Browns are better than their record indicates.
Dual Threat
The Jets have to account for Browns running back Duke Johnson at all times. Johnson is their secondary 'back to Isaiah Crowell, but he's the team's leading receiver in both yards (207) and receptions (20). The 5'9", 210-pounder has also rushed for 57 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries for an average of 5.7 yards.
Rook Under Center
Browns rookie signal caller Deshone Kizer has had a bumpy start to his NFL career. Kizer flashed during the preseason and won the starting job, but he has struggled in his first four regular season games. The Notre Dame product has completed 51.4% of his passes for 764 yards and three touchdowns while tossing eight picks. Kizer is effective on the ground and can buy time and make you pay with his legs. The 6'4", 233-pounder is the Browns second leading rusher with 97 yards and two touchdowns.
☘️ We know that heel click!@Browns QB & ND star DeShone Kizer scores 1st career TD vs. the Steelers.
@DKizer14pic.twitter.com/FkmEaAg64F — The Fighting Irish (@FightingIrish) September 10, 2017
Potential Debut
The No. 1 overall pick from this year's draft, DE Myles Garrett, could make his regular season debut against the Jets on Sunday. Garrett suffered a high ankle sprain four days before the Browns' season opener and was questionable for last week's game against the Bengals. The Texas A&M product was one of Cleveland's three first-round selections (S Jabrill Peppers and TE David Njoku) and was one of the most highly rated prospects by draft pundits in recent years.
Offensive Matchup to Watch: Jets RBs vs. Browns DL
The Browns are tied for the No. 9 rush defense in the NFL and the Jets rush game took fight last week against the Jaguars. With Matt Forte out of the lineup (turf toe), Bilal Powell and Eli McGuire rushed for 256 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries for an average of 8.3 yards.
Defensive Matchup to Watch: Jets Front Seven vs. Isaiah Crowell
Even though Crowell has only rushed for 134 yards through four weeks, he's a physical north-south runner who plays through the whistle. Last year, the 5'11", 225-pounder rushed for 952 yards on 198 carries for an average of 4.8 yards. Look for the Jets to emphasize stopping Crowell, putting the ball in Kizer's hands.
