Braelon Allen gave the Jets exactly the kind of closing kick they needed.
In a wet, mistake-filled game in East Rutherford, N.J., Allen powered in the decisive 22-yard touchdown run with 3:01 left and New York held on for a 17-12 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, snapping a three-game skid and handing the Browns their first loss since Week 1.
Allen did the heavy lifting for New York, piling up 116 yards on 24 carries. He also finished the drive that put the Jets ahead for good after Corey Bojorquez’s fumbled snap set New York up at Cleveland’s 23 three plays earlier.
The Jets then slammed the door in the final minute. With the Browns facing fourth-and-long, Will McDonald IV came through with a strip-sack of Deshaun Watson to secure New York’s first victory since its Week 1 win at the Tennessee Titans.
New York’s offense did enough early and then leaned on a defense that kept hounding Cleveland. Geno Smith completed 17 of 30 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown to Garrett Wilson, who turned seven catches into 104 yards. Rookie David Bailey added three sacks as part of an eight-sack day for the Jets.
Wilson’s biggest moment came on the opening touchdown drive. After the Jets stuffed Cleveland on the first series, Bojorquez’s 67-yard punt effectively handed New York a short field, and the Jets made the Browns pay with an eight-play, 80-yard march. Wilson accounted for 70 yards on the possession, then caught Smith’s third pass to him over the middle, slipped past Ronnie Hickman at the 20 and sprinted into the end zone for a 32-yard score and a 7-0 lead at 9:17.
Cleveland answered with Andre Szmyt’s 25-yard field goal late in the first quarter, but the Browns also took a hit when rookie wide receiver KC Concepcion absorbed a head shot from safety Minkah Fitzpatrick on the 67-yard drive and was later ruled out.
Szmyt added a 41-yard field goal at 10:14, and Cleveland stayed close enough to trail only 7-6 at halftime.
The Jets kept nudging ahead by winning the field-position battle. Jason Sanders connected from 54 yards with 14:37 remaining to extend New York’s lead to 10-6 before the Browns briefly moved back in front.
Cleveland, though, never found much rhythm. Dropped passes repeatedly stalled drives, and Watson finished 15 of 33 for 155 yards with a touchdown to Denzel Boston. Isaiah Bond led the Browns’ receiving effort with three catches for 74 yards.
For all the sloppy stretches, the game came down to one clear finish: Allen breaking loose, and then McDonald ending it.
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