On a day where the New York Jets and their fanbase celebrated the life of franchise legend Nick Mangold, the team provided plenty of fireworks in his memory.

New York scored two special teams touchdowns, and a key fourth-quarter strike was all the organization needed to win their Week 10 showdown against the Cleveland Browns in a rain-soaked MetLife Stadium.

Cleveland got the scoring started when Dillon Gabriel connected with David Njoku on a nine-yard touchdown reception. For Njoku, it was his second touchdown of his career against the Jets in six appearances.

The Browns’ lead was short-lived, though.

Kene Nwangwu, New York’s top kick returner, took the responding kickoff 99 yards for a score to tie the game at seven. The score marked Nwangwu’s second kick return for a touchdown in a Jets uniform over the last two seasons.

Just a few plays later, the Jets took the lead courtesy of a 74-yard punt return touchdown by Isaiah Williams.

Into the second quarter, though, the Jets’ offense crumbled with a seven-point advantage. Justin Fields threw an interception to Ronnie Hickman deep inside his own territory, and Gabriel found Jerry Jeudy for a score on the very next play to tie the game at 14.

New York would respond on the ensuing drive, though. While the offense did not complete a pass, they used a 13-yard run from Fields, and a 22-yard run from Breece Hall to re-take the lead on a 26-yard field goal from Nick Folk.

The Browns responded with their own field goal before the second quarter clock expired to go into the halftime break tied at 17.

After a scoreless third quarter, it was the Jets who jumped back in front.

On a second-and-17, Fields found Breece Hall on a screen pass that caught the Browns off guard. Hall rumbled through for a 42-yard touchdown that gave the Jets a 24-17 lead at the start of the final frame.

After the defense forced a turnover on downs, Hall ran through Cleveland’s defense, eclipsing 120 all-purpose yards while finding the endzone for the fourth time in two games. A 30-yard run set the Jets up for a 37-yard field goal from Folk to go up two scores, 27-17.

The Browns were able to tack on a field goal in the final minutes of action, but Hall led the way with a couple of clutch first downs to ice the win for New York’s second straight.

At 2-7, now, the Jets will be back on the field in just a few days to face off against the New England Patriots in Foxboro, Massachusetts, for a Thursday night clash.

Jets Game Notes

  • Sunday was the first game the Jets played without Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. Gardner ended up in Indianapolis while Williams was shipped to Dallas on the final day of the trade deadline.
  • In his second start of his career, AZ Thomas collided with Jamien Sherwood. The third-round rookie left the game under his own power but did not return due to a concussion.
  • New York’s passing offense, despite a strong performance before the bye week, struggled mightily on Sunday. The Jets mustered -5 net passing yards in the first half of action.
  • No Jets defensive player performed as well as Will McDonald. The former first-round pick recorded four sacks in the win for the team, with three coming in the first half. New York, as a team, recorded six sacks, including one from Jermaine Johnson and Quincy Williams.
  • Garrett Wilson made his return to the field after missing the last two contests with a knee injury. He did not record a catch for the first time in his NFL career and left in the final quarter due to an injury to that same knee.