The Cleveland Browns haven’t exactly hidden what they want to do defensively this season.

Through four games, the Browns have played man coverage at a whopping 61% rate, the highest rate in the NFL. For context on how high that clip is, the team with the second-highest man coverage rate, the Chicago Bears (New York’s opponent last week), are at a 49.4% mark. That is a nearly 12-percentage-point difference in usage from Cleveland to Chicago.

While the Jets are coming off a brutal loss to Chicago, the good news is that Geno Smith has been one of the league’s most efficient QBs against man coverage this year.

Geno’s success vs. man

According to SumerSports, Smith ranks seventh among QBs in success rate against man coverage (51.9%) while leading the league in completion percentage (75%) against those looks.

That’s encouraging when you add that the Jets are esentially in a must-win situation against a Browns team that has used man at a higher rate than anyone in the league, and by a pretty wide margin. However, Smith’s efficiency against man coverage has a catch.

He has also taken six sacks against man coverage this season, tied for the second-most among QBs. That’s where the matchup gets interesting. On one hand, Smith has been very accurate against those looks. On the other hand, there have been many instances where the offensive line hasn’t held up, and he’s taken a sack.

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To be fair to the Jets’ offensive line, though, some of those could have been a product of Smith holding onto the ball for a little longer than preferred. Among 26 qualified QBs this year (minimum 100 dropbacks), he is one of eight to average over a three-second time to throw, sitting at 3.02.

A win this week is crucial for the Jets, and it starts with Smith. Without Smith’s strong play, the Jets likely wouldn’t have been competitive in Weeks 2-3. His performance is integral to the team’s success, and he must not allow sacks to overshadow his efficiency on Sunday.

The Browns’ tendency is clear so far. There is no indication that they will turn away from their man-heavy defense this season. As for the Jets’ game plan this week, man coverage must be an emphasis.

While the sack total is certainly something to monitor, a 51% success rate against man coverage is nothing to scoff at, especially given how often Cleveland uses it. Eliminating the drive-killing sacks for the Jets will be crucial.

There isn’t much of a margin for error with Gang Green. Despite a convincing Week 1 win, the NFL flies fast, and the Jets are now 1-3. With a loss on Sunday, they’d fall to 1-4 before heading up to Foxborough to face the reigning AFC champion New England Patriots.

To keep the season alive, the Jets need a win over Cleveland on Sunday. Ultimately, it starts with their offensive matchup against the Browns’ man-coverage defense. A strong outing could lead to a season-changing win, while a poor one could put fans in the annual apathetic phase.