The Jets needed this like oxygen.
asserted
Jets → need → oxygen
They could not afford to lose to the Browns Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
A four-game losing streak, a 1-4 record and another Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s of irrelevance stared them in the face.
uncertain
streak → afford → face
Entering Sunday, the Jets had started a season with a 1-4 record 14 times, making the playoffs only once — in 2002, when they rallied to finish 9-7.
asserted
they → enter → 2002
Take flight with the Jets
Text with Brian Costello all season as he brings Sports+ subscribers the latest Jets intel from on the field and off.
asserted
he → take → field
tRY IT NOWThey don’t have to worry about that at the moment, not after their tense, gritty 17-12 win over the Browns, a win that lifted them to 2-3 and kept them well within their goals.
asserted
that → try → goals
The Jets stole a game it appeared they’d allowed to leak away in the fourth quarter when running back Braelon Allen, in the midst of a career day, scored on a 22-yard run with 3:01 remaining to give the Jets a 17-12 lead.
asserted
3:01 → steal → lead
The Jets had gotten the ball on the Cleveland 23-yard line when Browns long snapper Rex Sunahara’s high snap went through the hands of punter Corey Bojorquez with 3:52 remaining.
asserted
snap → get → 3:52
Jets reserve linebacker Trevin Wallace recovered the gift, and Allen, who finished with 116 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, took it from there.
asserted
who → recover → it
The Browns had taken a 12-10 lead on a 29-yard scoring pass from Deshaun Watson to Denzel Boston with 6:15 remaining.
asserted
Browns → take → 6:15
The extra point attempt by Andre Szmyt hit the right upright and missed.
asserted
attempt → hit → upright
Earlier in the third quarter, the Jets had a chance to seize control when they drove to the Cleveland 11-yard line with an opportunity to take a 14-6 lead.
asserted
they → have → lead
Enter former Jets linebacker Quincy Williams, who wasn’t re-signed after last season.
asserted
who → enter → season
Williams blew up Jets rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq with a punishing hit, forcing a fumble recovered by Cleveland safety Ronnie Hickman with 5:49 remaining in the third quarter.
asserted
5:49 → blow → quarter
It was the third forced fumble of the game for Williams, who had warned the Jets he was going to be a “nightmare’’ for them.
asserted
he → force → them
The Jets defense held the Browns to three plays and a punt on the ensuing series, but still lost out on at least a field goal and a 10-6 lead at worst.
asserted
defense → hold → goal
They took the next possession and turned it into a 10-6 lead on a 54-yard field goal by Jason Sanders 23 seconds into the fourth quarter.
asserted
They → take → quarter
The way the Jets started on offense, it looked like a banner day after last week’s miserable performance.
asserted
it → start → performance
The Jets had their way with the Browns defense, which could not stop Allen or cover receiver Garrett Wilson.
uncertain
which → have → Wilson
The Jets took a 7-0 lead on a 32-yard Geno Smith scoring pass to Wilson to cap that first possession, with Wilson making an acrobatic spin move around Hickman to score just 5:43 into the game.
asserted
Wilson → take → game
Wilson had three receptions for 70 yards on the series.
asserted
Wilson → have → series
Allen, starting in place of the injured Breece Hall (quadriceps), rushed for 32 yards on four carries.
asserted
Allen → start → carries
That, however, is where the Jets offense began and ended in the first half, as the rest was an ugly mess.
asserted
rest → begin → half
The Browns answered the Wilson score with a 25-yard field goal from Szmyt to cut the lead to 7-3 with 3:27 remaining in the first quarter.
asserted
3:27 → answer → quarter
On the next Jets possession, the Browns double-teamed Wilson, bent on not letting him run free in their secondary, and quieted him.
asserted
him → team → him
The Jets went 80 yards on seven plays on that opening possession and, on the next four possessions before halftime, ran 21 plays while producing only 55 yards.
asserted
Jets → go → yards
The Jets killed themselves with seven penalties for 73 yards in the first half.
asserted
Jets → kill → half
This came a week after committing 12 penalties for 76 yards against the Bears.
asserted
This → come → Bears
They also hurt themselves with suspect pass protection, as Smith was sacked three times for 27 yards in losses.
asserted
Smith → hurt → losses
The Browns cut the Jets lead to 7-6 on a 41-yard Szmyt field goal with 10:14 remaining in the first half, and that was the halftime score.
asserted
that → cut → half
Wilson was targeted only one more time on those 21 plays after the opening series and finished the half with what he accrued on that first series: three catches for 70 yards.
asserted
he → target → yards
Although Allen rushed for 54 yards on eight carries for a 6.8-yard average, Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich curiously abandoned the running game at times.
asserted
Reich → rush → times
Jets rookie linebacker David Bailey had the best game of his career, with three sacks, two of which came in the first half.
asserted
two → have → half
The Aporia
