Cleveland Browns: 5 reasons Browns will bounce back vs New York Jets

2. Downfield opportunities

Yes, I just rambled on about the importance of the running game, but, that doesn’t mean Mayfield can’t take his chances downfield, especially against the Jets.

Thank back to the second-half of last season. The Browns were running the ball well, but Mayfield also had success going deep to Breshard Perriman.

Agains the Jets, former Browns’ defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will be dialing up blitzes, leaving his secondary vulnerable and Trumaine Johnson and Daryl Roberts are poised to get burned. Marcus Maye is charged with playing “The Angel” in Williams’ system, a spot perviously held here in Cleveland by Jabrill Peppers.

There was some criticism of Mayfield locking onto Odell Beckham Jr. too much as OBJ was targeted 11 times. But he caught seven of those passes. If a guy is catching the ball, who really cares how many times he’s being thrown too. The problem should be if Mayfield is forcing it, and he wasn’t in Week 1.

Jarvis Landry heads into Week 2 coming off four catches on seven targets. He had a pretty back shoulder grab that helped set up the Browns’ second touchdown.

Williams’ tendency to lean on the blitz, in addition to the Jets secondary leaves New York open to be exposed and the Browns have the weapons to capitalize.