Geno Smith’s clean start to the season is about to face one of its toughest tests yet.
The New York Jets head into their matchup with the Cleveland Browns carrying a three-game skid, and the timing could hardly be worse. They’re banged up, they’re at home, and they’re staring at a Browns team that has won three straight. That combination leaves New York with plenty to sort through before kickoff.
ESPN’s pregame projections did Smith no favors. The Jets quarterback is forecast to throw for 232 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while also adding 12 rushing yards on three carries. That line would hardly count as a big day for Smith, and it would also end one of the more notable streaks he’s put together this season.
Through four games, Smith has not thrown an interception. That matters because the questions around his ball security were very real entering the year after he was picked off 17 times with the Las Vegas Raiders a season ago. Instead of feeding that concern, Smith has steadied the offense and kept the giveaways down.
So far, the numbers have been solid: 902 passing yards and five touchdowns. That’s the kind of production the Jets have needed from him, especially with injuries thinning out the roster around him. Against Cleveland, though, the pressure figures to be heavier, and not just because of the scoreboard.
The Browns have been strong at getting after the quarterback this season, and the Jets have struggled to hold up in that area. That makes the battle up front a major storyline in this game. If New York can’t protect Smith, the offense could have a hard time finding any rhythm at all.
For the Jets to avoid dropping to 1-4, their offensive line has to hold firm against Cleveland’s front. If it doesn’t, Smith may be left trying to manufacture too much on his own in a game that already looks like a difficult one for New York’s offense.
Kickoff is set for 10:00 a.m. PT/1:00 p.m. ET at MetLife Stadium.
In Other News...
Jets Face Another Injury Test As One Late Decision Looms
Another week, another test of depth for a Jets roster that has spent much of the early season juggling injuries. New York and Cleveland released their inactive lists for Sundays Week 5 matchup, and the Jets will be without Breece Hall, Adonai Mitchell, Dylan Parham, Kiko Mauigoa, Nahshon Wright and Nate Lynn, a collection of absences that trims options on offense, along the line and on defense as the team tries to stay afloat.
The bigger late twist centers on Will McDonald, who was limited on Friday and remains a game-time decision. With several players already unavailable and a few other statuses still being monitored closer to kickoff, the Jets are once again waiting until the last possible moment to see how much of their pass-rush plan will be intact against a Browns team dealing with its own injury issues. [Read more 🡒]
Former Jet Quincy Williams Just Made Week 5 Personal
Quincy Williams is already turning a routine Week 5 meeting into something with a little more edge. After leaving the Jets in free agency, the former linebacker settled in with the Browns on a new deal and has looked sharper in his new home, even if coverage remains the area that still gets exposed at times. From New Yorks side, this is one of those familiar reminders that a player who once helped anchor the middle of the defense can quickly become a problem on the other sideline.
Williams has made it clear the matchup carries extra meaning for him, too. The Jets did not bring him back, and he has embraced the chance to make them pay for it when the teams line up in Week 5. It adds a little more heat to a game that already has enough of it, and it puts one more former Jet in the spotlight with something to prove. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Win Still Left Fans Debating Geno Smith And Garrett Wilson
The Jets finally got back in the win column in Week 5, snapping a three-game losing streak and offering a reminder of how much talent still sits on the roster. Garrett Wilson was the most reliable piece on offense, finishing with seven catches for 104 yards and a touchdown, while the defense had enough impact plays to carry the day despite a rough overall showing.
Even with the victory, the conversation afterward kept circling back to Geno Smith and Wilson, a familiar split between optimism and unease. The Jets piled up 10 penalties for 102 yards, which made the margin feel a lot thinner than a win should, and Smiths uneven afternoon left the team searching for a cleaner answer at quarterback even after a productive day from its top receiver. [Read more 🡒]