In an alternate universe, perhaps something straight out of a Doctor Strange movie, the Browns locked down a 30-17 win over the Jets in Cleveland. But in this universe, the Jets won 31-30 after Joe Flacco found rookie Garrett Wilson for a touchdown with 22 seconds left and Greg Zuerlein added the extra point to give New York the lead.
“I’ve never really had an experience like that. It was special,” Wilson said following the game.
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It was a special game for the Jets — and less special for the Browns.
“It’s really frustrating to me, to plays in our locker room, to our fans — it’s about how we play. We have to finish and allow you to win games, and we didn’t do that,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said following the game.
Finish is something they, definitively, did not do. Here’s how the Browns collapsed.
How did the Browns blow a 13-point lead to the Jets in a minute?
2:02 left to play in the fourth quarter
Nick Chubb scores on a 12-yard run with 2:02 left to give the Browns a 13-point lead. The Jets have no timeouts left, so they have quite the hill to climb.
But there’s a twist: Chubb has an opportunity to kneel rather than score the touchdown. That essentially would have iced the game for Cleveland.
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In a twist of luck — bad luck, if you’re the Browns — Chubb scores and kicker Cade York misses the extra point, giving New York slight hope.
Jets coach Robert Saleh was appreciative of Chubb not opting to kneel.
“I’ve never been so happy for a missed tackle in my life,” Saleh said with a laugh following the game. Chubb juked a Jets defender en route to the end zone. “That was our only chance.”
1:55 to play
With the Jets’ offense starting from its 25, Joe Flacco hits Tyler Conklin for a 9-yard gain to the 34.
1:32 to play
This is where things get interesting: On a seeming busted coverage, Flacco finds wideout Corey Davis for a 66-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 30-24 after Zuerlein hits the extra point.
Cornerback Denzel Ward seemed to have been on an island and didn’t run with Davis on the TD.
Coincidentally, the Browns had the same issue in Week 1 vs. the Panthers, but they ultimately won that game.
1:22 to play
After the touchdown, the Jets needed to recover an onside kick. Punter Braden Mann handled the kick, and the Jets shockingly recovered.
1:22 to play
The Jets start at their 47. They have no timeouts left. They need a touchdown to tie the game and an extra point to win it.
After completions to Michael Carter, Tyler Conklin, Carter again and Garrett Wilson, Flacco finds Wilson for a 15-yard touchdown with 22 seconds left to tie the game. Zuerlein’s PAT brings the score to 31-30.
0:22 to play
After a touchback on the ensuing kickoff, the Browns still have an opportunity to win the game, needing just a field goal. They have one timeout left.
Jacoby Brissett scrambles for 21 yards to give Cleveland either a shot at the end zone with a Hail Mary, or a shot to continue working the middle of the field to get into field goal range.
0:12 to play
With the Jets playing coverage, safety Ashtyn Davis intercepts Brissett over the middle, sealing the Jets’ first win of the 2022 season.
