New York Jets: Sam Darnold has one of those nights in loss to Cleveland

We review the New York Jets loss to the Cleveland Browns. Sam Darnold plays like a rookie and it out-dueled by Baker Mayfield.

Welp. I guess the New York Jets are going to be on the wrong end of a Cleveland Browns trivia question.

17. 30. 21. 53. Final

Sometimes we talk about a game that is a tale of two halves. This game was a tale of two quarterbacks for the Cleveland Browns.

With 1:42 remaining in the first half, the NFL schedule makers had what they wanted. Baker Mayfield entered the game and was in a battle with fellow rookie Sam Darnold.

Unfortunately for Tyrod Taylor, it happened due to an injury, although his performance was leading to a benching anyway.

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Taylor started the game, but was 4-14 for 19 yards, although he did scramble for 22 yards on four tries.

The crowd was chanting for Mayfield, and due to an apparent head injury, they got their wish late in the first half.

At the time, the Jets were ahead 14-0 on two Isaiah Crowell touchdown runs.

Mayfield takes over with 1:42 left in the half and leads a six play, 1:19 drive that ended in a Greg Joseph field goal.

The score was still 14-3 in favor of the Jets but the crowd was back into it and the momentum clearly shifted.

The Jets had their chances to take the momentum back but were just unable to do it.

The offense never got into any sort of rhythm, especially in the passing game. Robby Anderson fumbled inside the ten, giving the Browns the ball on the eight yard line.

Thankfully the defense held up and only allowed a field goal.

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The defense kept the team ahead, picking up the offense for most of the game. In the end they just couldn’t keep up with the energy that Mayfield brought to the field. They simply got tired out.

The drive that put the Browns ahead for the first and only time came in the middle of the fourth quarter. Well it started with just under nine minutes left and ended just before the two-minute warning.

That is clear evidence of a defense that simply just ran out of steam.

It was not a night that Sam Darnold will want to remember. He was running for his life for the majority of it, and his final line was 15-31 for 169 yards and two interceptions.

The final interception was into triple coverage but he was trying to make a play to bring the team back.

We have to remember that this is going to happen. He is a 21-year-old rookie. Darnold is learning on the fly and he is going to have bad games. Folks, get on board and enjoy the ride. There is nothing else we can do but deal with it.

It’s not about 2018. It’s about getting Darnold game reps in preparation for 2019 and beyond.

The play of the night came on special teams. Kevin Pierre-Louis came knifing through on a Cleveland punt to make a partial block, setting the Jets up on the Cleveland 28 yard line.

Five plays later the Jets went up 7-0 on Crowell’s first touchdown run.

21-17 was the final, and it’s a 1-2 record. In ten days, the Jets take the field again down in Jacksonville to face the Jaguars. That won’t be easy either.

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