CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Baker Mayfield fumbled three times and the New York Jets recovered all three of them in a 23-16 win over the shorthanded Browns.
Cleveland played without their top four receivers, two starting offensive linemen and a pair of linebackers due to injuries and COVID-19 protocols.
Mayfield threw it 53 times, completing 28 passes for 285 yards in the loss. He was sacked three times as New York teed off on an offensive line that was without starters Jedrick Wills Jr., due to an illness, and Wyatt Teller, who was sidelined with an ankle sprain.
Austin Hooper led the Browns with seven catches for 71 yards. Ja’Marcus Bradley caught five of 11 targets for 60 yards.
New York stacked the box, put pressure on Mayfield all afternoon and stymied Cleveland’s dynamic rushing attack, holding the Browns to just 45 yards on the ground.
Chubb ran 11 times for 28 yards and Hunt four for 11. Chubb also caught five passes for 38 yards and Hunt three for 41.
Both running backs scored on the ground - Chubb from a yard out to make it 20-10 and Hunt from four yards to cut the deficit to 4, 20-16 because Cody Parkey missed the PAT off the left upright.
Parkey, who opened the scoring with a 4-yard field goal in the first quarter, has missed kicks in three straight games.
The salt in the wound: the Steelers rallied to beat the Colts, which would’ve clinched a playoff berth for the Browns had they won.
Instead, the Browns slip to the No. 7 position and can get in with a win next week over the Steelers.
Baltimore beat the Giants to overtake the Browns for second place in the AFC North by virtue of the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The Browns fell behind 20-3 but defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson helped spark a comeback by blocking a pair of kicks – a PAT and then a 50-yard field goal try.