Browns: 3 Cleveland players who need to step up against the Jets
By Chad Porto
The New York Jets may not be a good team, but that doesn’t mean the Cleveland Browns can coast in their came on Sunday afternoon.
The Cleveland Browns are ready to secure their 11th win and a spot in the playoffs, but to do so they have to get past the New York Jets. The ultimate trap team in the NFL. The Jets beat the Rams just last week, and while the Browns are better than the Rams, it’s not by such a huge margin that you can just give the Browns a win.
That’s why the Browns need to step up and deliver on Sunday. They can’t fall into the Jets-trap. They have to show up ready to play and their key talents need to go balls to the walls for their last away game of the year. You know, for the regular season.
Here are the talents who need to step up against the Jets.
Baker Mayfield
If Baker Mayfield drops another four or five touchdowns on the Jets in the first half, he’ll be leaving Week 17 with his fifth-year option having been picked up. Even if not formally announced. Mayfield has quietly put himself in a position to have his best completion percentage in a single season and the most touchdowns in his career. He’s currently at 64%, one point higher than his rookie season, where everyone lauded his accuracy. He’s at 25 touchdowns, two shy of his rookie year. If Mayfield has a huge game against the Jets and let’s be honest, he should, then he could walk into the season finale against the Steelers looking for more.
He’s only five touchdowns from tying Brian Sipe’s single-season franchise record of 30. If Mayfield can dominate the Jets as he’s done against so many top-tier teams this year, then Mayfield may walk into the playoffs with even more records to his name.