Forecast, Preview, and Betting Odds for the New York Jets versus the Cleveland Browns on December 28, 2023.
Thursday Night Football showcases an AFC clash between the New York Jets (6-9, 5-9-1) and the Cleveland Browns (10-5, 9-5-1 ATS). The Jets have been eliminated from playoff contention, while the Browns remain in the hunt. Currently holding the 5th seed in the AFC playoffs, Cleveland has upcoming games against the Jets and the Bengals. The Jets, who secured a win against Washington last week (30-28), failed to cover as 3-point favorites. Meanwhile, the Browns triumphed over the Texans with a decisive 36-22 victory, easily covering as 3.5-point road favorites. Cleveland is presently listed as a 7-point home favorite, and the game kicks off at 8:15 EST from Cleveland Browns Stadium, available on Amazon Prime Video.
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No Playoffs, No Rodgers
The Aaron Rodgers 2023 saga has reached its conclusion. With the team out of playoff contention, it has been officially declared that Rodgers will not return this season. Although this outcome was widely expected, it is now confirmed. Head coach Robert Saleh acknowledged that improvements could have been made once Rodgers went down, stating, “Could we have handled things better? I’m referring to myself and the coaching staff in terms of, ‘This is our worst-case scenario, now what?’ Certainly, and it’s an aspect we’ll make sure to handle much better in 2024.”
The Jets are awaiting medical updates on Zach Wilson’s recovery from a concussion. If Wilson is unable to play, Trevor Siemian will get the start for the second consecutive game. Siemian, a 31-year-old with experience in four different NFL teams, posted a 27-49 record for 217 yards with a 1-1 TD-INT ratio last week. Breece Hall had a standout performance, rushing for 95 yards and two touchdowns while adding 96 receiving yards. Hall leads the team in rushing for the season with 48.8 yards per game and four touchdowns. Garrett Wilson, the top receiver, is poised to surpass 1,000 yards for the season, averaging 63.9 yards per game with three touchdowns. Tight end Tyler Conklin, the second leading receiver, averages 37.3 yards per game but has surprisingly not scored on any of his 54 receptions.
The Jets rank 30th in the NFL in scoring with 15.4 points per game, and their defense is 14th, allowing 21.0 points per game. Linebacker CJ Mosley leads the team in tackles with 136, followed closely by fellow linebacker Quincy Williams with 124. Bryce Huff, a linebacker, leads the team with eight sacks, while safety Jordan Whitehead leads in interceptions with four. The Jets have one of the league’s worst turnover differentials, with 22 takeaways on defense compared to 30 offensive turnovers.
Injury Report:
Questionable: QB Zach Wilson, OT Duane Brown, DE John Franklin-Myers, CB Justin Hardee, K Greg Zuerlein
