The Browns play their final home game of the regular season Thursday night at Cleveland Browns Stadium. They face the Jets, who are 1-4 in prime time this season. It’s another season of highlight plays for the Browns, as they lost their Monday Night Football game against the Steelers in Week 2. Here are three questions the Browns will have to answer on Sunday.
Should the offense run more on Thursday?
The Browns offense faces a Jets defense that is second in passing yards allowed with 2,785 and second in touchdowns allowed with 16. They are also tied for third in the league with six yards per catch. Meanwhile, the Jets’ run defense has been prone to giving up yards this season. They are 23rd in yards allowed with 1,893 and have given up 13 passes this season, which is 14th in the league. HC Kevin Stefanski mentioned how the Browns have passed more since Week 16 because the team has faced good defenses that have stopped the run well this season. In this case, the Browns play a team that is better at catching than stopping the run. The Browns like to try different ways to be efficient and score points each week. They wanted to try different formations to help the offense and achieve success. andquot;For us, it and#039; always just trying to find different ways to win, andquot; Stefanski said. andquot;I mean, how do you know you’re going down, it’s hard. The dimensions of the field change. It’s hard to throw in. Entry is difficult because not everyone can be blocked. So I think our coaches do a great job of trying to find little wrinkles or nuances in things and give guys a chance. And weand#039;re very lucky with the players there.
How will the special teams look on Thursday?
Q Dustin Hopkins will not play Thursday after suffering a hamstring injury in the second quarter against the Texans. Hopkins came within four points of Jim Brown’s tie for Brownsand#039; all-time points leader. With Hopkins unable to go Thursday, Browns signee K Riley Patterson was signed to the practice squad on Dec. 25. Patterson made 58 of 66 field goals and 87 of 90 PATs. andquot;Yes, he came, did a good job in practice, obviously there is production in this league this season,andquot; Stefanski said. andquot;So, the guy is happy.andquot; Hopkins is not the only injury facing the Browns on special teams. P Corey Bojorquez did not practice Monday or Tuesday with a quad injury and is questionable for Thursday night. Stefanski confirmed that Bojorquez was injured when he had to hit the ball on Sunday. He replaced Hopkinsand in the starting duty in the second half. Browns signed P Matt Haack to replace Bojorquez if he can’t go.
Will the Browns defense once again dominate at home?
At home, the Browns defense has dominated this season, allowing the league-best home defense to score just 105 points on 28.2 percent of third-down attempts. Their defense also has a league-high 30 sacks at home this season. Through eight games this season, the Browns’ defense has held teams to a league-best 197.9 yards on average. They are playing a Jets offense that has struggled this season. They recorded the fewest net yards in the league this season with just 3,952 yards.
They are 31st in passing with 2,597 net yards and 27th in rushing with 1,355 net yards. The Jets have been shut out just once this season, against the Dolphins in Week 15, but have been held to fewer than 11 points six times this season.
Meanwhile, the Browns defense has shut down the Cardinals this season. In week one, the Browns defense held the Bengals to three points. The Titans then scored just three points at the Cleveland Browns in Week 3. For the last time this year, the Browns have a chance to see another dominant performance in front of their fans. andquot;Very important,andquot; CB Greg Newsome II said.
The fans know. They are there for us loudly, but they are our twelfth man there. I say this all the time. We have the best fans in the world. So to go there with the energy and with what they offer, a counterattack where they have to rely on every third close and just make some mistakes that they really cause there as much as they contribute and #039. I don’t know. They cause a lot of extra time that they have to use to get to the real stuff. So they give us a big boost.andquot;
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