That New Year Smell: Browns-Jets Preview

The Cleveland Browns are in first place. It’s a three-way tie (we see you, 0-1 Pittsburgh Steelers), but don’t let statistics get in the way of optimism. The first game of any sporting season presents a rare moment of possibility. Literally anything could happen as the year’s inaugural kickoff gyrates downfield. While experts and insiders make their living guessing how many games NFL teams will win it is important to remember that a new season represents a blank page begging to become a story. The teams, not the prognosticators, determine the story. The game is there for the taking, especially when you’re playing the New York Jets.

On Sunday, the Browns and their new starting quarterback Josh McCown will enter MetLife Stadium for a contest against the Jets and their new starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Dressed in their snazzy new uniforms, the Browns and head coach Mike Pettine are seeking their first Week 1 victory since 2004. Across the field, first year Jets head coach Todd Bowles looks to improve on last year’s disastrous 4-12 campaign through the right arm of his Harvard-educated signal-caller. Both teams are looking to make a statement and distance themselves from a history of embarrassing moments.

Familiar Faces

The Jets employ a few players that Cleveland sports fans will recognize. Here is a quick look at a few former Ohioans suiting up in green and white.

RB Chris Ivory – Tiffin University 2009. After three years at Washington State, Ivory transferred to Division II Tiffin. He gained 223 yards over five games before an injury wiped out his season. Despite an abbreviated senior year, the New Orleans Saints picked him up as an undrafted free agent. The Saints traded him to New York in 2013 for a fourth-round draft pick. Last year Ivory ran for a 71-yard touchdown which ranks as the second longest TD run in Jets history.

C Nick Mangold – Ohio State 2002-05. A former All-Ohio high schooler from Kettering, Mangold played for Ohio State from 2002-05, starting in his final three years in Columbus. The Jets selected him 29th overall in the 2005 draft, and he has subsequently emerged as an elite NFL center. Mangold appeared in six Pro Bowls – 2008-11 and 2013-14 – and was a first-team All-Pro in 2009 and 2010. He has played in 141 out of 144 possible regular season games for the Jets since being drafted.

WR Devin Smith – Ohio State 2011-14. Akron native Devin Smith started four seasons at wide receiver for Ohio State. He scored 30 touchdowns in his career and the Bucks never lost when he caught a touchdown pass. The Jets drafted Smith 37th overall in the 2015 NFL Draft. He suffered a punctured lung during training camp, and is currently listed as the third wideout on the depth chart. Smith has been limited at practice this week, and it seems unlikely that he will be cleared to play until Week 2 or 3.

RG Brian Winters – Kent State 2009-12. A four-year starter at Kent State, Winters earned first-team All-MAC honors as a senior. The Jets took him in the third round of the 2013 draft. After starting 12 games as a rookie, Winters tore his ACL in a game against the Denver Broncos in 2014. He is currently slotted as the backup right guard to Willie Colon.

Last Win: 2007 Week 14, Browns 24 @ Jets 18

As the calendar turned to December 2007, the Cleveland Browns found themselves in the fight for a playoff spot. The 7-5 Browns traveled to the Big Apple to play the 3-9 New York Jets. Derek Anderson (I remember him!) threw two touchdowns. Phil Dawson (praise to his name) kicked a 49-yard field goal. Braylon Edwards (really?) caught three passes for 63 yards and a score, including an acrobatic fourth-and-4 reception. Because, at that time in our lives, we knew that if the situation called for a tough catch, Edwards would haul it in. Cleveland iced the game late in the fourth quarter when running back Jamal Lewis (wasn’t he a Raven?) went proto-Beast Mode, shaking off six would-be tacklers on a 31-yard touchdown stampede.

Last Loss: 2013 Week 16, Browns 13 @ Jets 24

Browns fans will not remember the 2013 season fondly. Head coach Rob Chudzinski steered Cleveland to a 4-12 campaign, including seven straight losses to close out the season. A visit to New York came late in that losing streak. “Broadway” Geno Smith played on all cylinders at home; he threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 48 yards and another score. Browns quarterback Jason Campbell went 18-of-40 for 178 yards and two interceptions. The bittersweet news is that Josh Gordon caught six passes for 97 yards.

Behind Enemy Lines

Jets and Browns fans share a common trait: misery. Despite playing in the country’s largest city, the New York Jets have repeatedly, and often hilariously, faceplanted over the past decade. Fans hoped this year would be different since the Rex Ryan Circus went upstate and people have almost started to forget about Mark Sanchez’s “Butt Fumble” (kidding; that thing will outlive the cockroaches). Then teammate IK Enemkpali socked the team’s starting quarterback, breaking Geno Smith’s jaw. While the Browns have burned the midnight oil finding new ways to frustrate their fans, not even they have attempted teammate-on-teammate violence.

To get a sense of a Jets fan’s perspective, I spoke with a friend whom I will call “Carl;” his identity has been changed to protect him from Google. During our discussion I could see a multitude of common ground between Jets and Browns supporters. He discussed how the Jets find a way to “clutch defeat from the jaws of victory.” He described the Butt Fumble as “the most Jets thing that can happen” and a Thanksgiving-ruining moment. When asked to name a time he was proud to be a Jets fan, no answers came to mind. Surely, a Browns fan can commiserate with that.

I asked what comes to mind when I say, “Cleveland Browns;” Carl said, “rubbing two fingers in the air.” So, the aura of Johnny Manziel continues to glow in the Empire State. After hearing his story, I asked what kept him coming back. Carl explained calmly, “Jets fanhood is a curse forced upon me while I was still in the womb. My grandfather was a Jets fan. My mother is a Jets fan. I was born to be a Jets fan, and I will die a Jets fan.” So if you have children of your own, I asked, would you raise them as Jets fans?

“Of course. Someone else has to suffer with me.”

Final Thoughts

Browns and Jets fans emotional kinship extends to Sunday afternoon. Both fanbases desperately want a season-opening win and a reason to hope. The Jets are currently three point favorites which basically means they are the home team. With so many question marks surrounding this year’s Browns team a 1-0 start would do a lot a to calm the message boards and let fans dream, if only for a week. Right now, the Browns are a first place team. Let’s see if they play like one.

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With deals for hotels near MetLife Stadium starting from $94 on Hipmunk.com, all that’s left to attend opening day is to scour through their New York flight deals to get to the opening action of this Browns’ season.