Browns Open as Just 1.5-Point Favorites Against Jets on Monday Night
By Robert Duff in NFL Football
Updated: April 8, 2020 at 7:16 pm EDTPublished:
- The Cleveland Browns were drubbed 43-13 by the Tennessee Titans to open the NFL season
- The Browns are now 1-19-1 in their last 21 season openers
- Cleveland is just a 1.5-point favorite against the New York Jets in Week 2
If you’re the New York Jets, are you suddenly looking forward to playing the Cleveland Browns?
Considering that the Browns were 1-18-1 in season openers since 1999, and had gone 0-13-1 in their last 14 season debuts, you probably thought it couldn’t get any worse for Cleveland.
Think again.
The Browns began the season suffering a 43-13 drubbing at the hands of the Tennessee Titans, a debacle that conjured up memories of the Cleveland teams that managed to go a combined 1-31 in 2016-17.
Cleveland is listed as 1.5-point favorites to beat the Jets on Monday Night Football in Week 2 in the Browns vs Jets full odds.
Cleveland Browns vs New York Jets Odds
| Team | Spread |
|---|---|
| Cleveland Browns | -1.5 (-115) |
| New York Jets | +1.5 (-105) |
*Odds taken 9/09/19.
The Jets also turned in a forgettable opening-day performance. They raced to a 16-0 lead against the Buffalo Bills, only to lose the game 17-16.
Down Go Browns
When it came to the most messed up week involving Browns, it looked as though Antonio would win the title hands down.
Then the Browns collectively said, “hold our beers.”
#Browns LT Greg Robinson has been ejected for kicking #Titans safety Kenny Vaccaro. Yikes. pic.twitter.com/yXqfrMtxnT
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 8, 2019
Cleveland committed 18 penalties for 182 yards, including the ejection of left tackle Greg Robinson for kicking Titans safety Kenny Vaccaro. The Browns turned the ball over three times in the fourth quarter alone, leading to 21 Tennessee points.
Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield was sacked five times, once for a safety. He was also picked off three times.
PICK SIX @Mac_BZ #TENvsCLE pic.twitter.com/RsQ2HOFzLP
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) September 8, 2019
Titans running back Derrick Henry rambled for 159 yards and two touchdowns. QB Marcus Mariota passed for three scores. Rookie wide receiver AJ Brown caught three balls for 100 yards.
Jets Blue
If there’s a team that knows not to put much stock in a Week 1 blowout, it’s the Jets. Last season, the Jets traveled to Detroit and put a 48-17 whipping on the Lions.
It was not a harbinger of things to come. The Jets lost their next three games, including a 21-17 setback to the Browns in Week 3 that was Mayfield’s first NFL victory. New York finished the season 4-12.
Immediate impact.
CJ MOSLEY PICK-6 in his first game with the @nyjets! @TreyDeuce32RTR
📺: CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports appWatch on mobile: https://t.co/PoZiStO3mL pic.twitter.com/gyj0kuDkFU
— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2019
In Sunday’s loss to Buffalo, Jets rookie kicker Kaare Vedvik missed an extra point and a 45-yard field goal. New York could only muster up 223 yards of total offense and just 16 points even though the defense forced four Buffalo turnovers.
Can A Week 2 Game Be A Must Win?
Coaches like to talk about taking things one game at a time. That’s a good approach for the Browns to follow. A look ahead to Cleveland’s early-season schedule could cause them quite a fright.
After the Jets, the Browns get the defending NFC champion Los Angeles Rams. That’s followed by a trip to Baltimore to face the Ravens. Cleveland has lost three straight, 10 of 11 and 14 of 16 in the land of crabcakes.
2019 Cleveland Browns hype and 2019 Cleveland Browns actual… pic.twitter.com/jPZ2KoFbpL
— Colin Dunlap (@colin_dunlap) September 8, 2019
Another Monday night game looms at San Francisco on Oct. 7. There’s a trip to New England to face the reigning Super Bowl champion Patriots on Oct. 27.
If Cleveland isn’t careful, things could easily spiral out of control.
Monday, Monday
The Jets and Browns actually met in the first Monday Night Football game in 1970. The Browns won 31-21.
Browns coach Freddie Kitchens said after the season-opening loss that now we’d really find out what kind of team the Browns are.
Expect a bounce back performance in Week 2. The Browns aren’t as bad as they looked in Week 1. The Jets probably are.
Get in now before you’re giving more points. The line on Cleveland will only grow..
Pick: Cleveland Browns -1.5 (-115)
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
