Jets vs. Browns Point Spread: TNF Week 17 Odds, Prediction
The Browns opened as 7-point favourites on the NFL odds.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Jets activated Aaron Rodgers off injured reserve last week, but it was simply to allow him to practice the rest of the way with the team. Had he not been activated, Rodgers would not have been allowed to. Rodgers will not play in a game, however. He originally had targeted Christmas Eve but the Jets were already eliminated from the playoffs, and Rodgers has said that he’s not 100 per cent regardless. Probably best for all parties that he wasn’t rushed back.
Cleveland will try to make the playoffs with a quarterback signed off the street in Joe Flacco, who actually has as many Super Bowl rings and Super Bowl MVP Awards as Rodgers does: One each. Deshaun Watson was lost for the season weeks ago. The Browns sit fifth in the AFC and close at Cincinnati in Week 18. Cleveland of course has never reached a Super Bowl and no offence to Flacco, but that won’t happen this season, either.
Including one playoff game, the Browns lead the all-time series 15-14 but suffered one of the most unlikely losses in franchise history in Week 2 last year at home to the Jets, 31-30. The Browns were up 24-17 with about two minutes left. Had Cleveland running back Nick Chubb simply fallen down instead of scored on a seven-yard run with 1:55 to go, the game was over because New York didn’t have any timeouts. Instead, then-Jets QB Flacco threw 66-yard and 15-yard TD passes – New York recovered an onside kick in between – for the 31-30 stunner. You will see highlights of that plenty this week.
New York Jets
Jets owner Woody Johnson said last week that Coach Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas will be back next season despite this year’s disappointing 6-9 mark. Saleh admitted the team didn’t really have a good fallback plan for when Aaron Rodgers got hurt in the opener. No kidding. Veteran journeyman Trevor Siemian made his first start of the season Sunday and helped lead a 30-28 last-second win over Washington in the home finale. Siemian threw for 217 yards with a TD and pick and got the Jets into position for the winning 54-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein with five seconds remaining. The Jets had blown a 27-7 third-quarter lead. Siemian started because Zach Wilson is in the concussion protocol, and he’s still in that Tuesday so Siemian surely will get the call again.
Cleveland Browns
Cleveland is surging behind veteran QB Joe Flacco, who has played so well since being signed last month that Flacco now has to get some Comeback Player of the Year consideration. In Sunday’s huge 36-22 win in Houston, with the Browns holding down the AFC’s top wild card spot (and earning a huge tiebreaker vs. the Texans), Flacco threw for 368 yards, three TDs and two picks. Amari Cooper set a franchise record with 265 yards receiving, with two TDs on 11 catches (and a two-point PAT). It was also the most receiving yards in an NFL game this season. Cooper has 1,250 yards, making him the first receiver in team history with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Kicker Dustin Hopkins was injured Sunday and won’t play Thursday. Cleveland signed Riley Patterson to its practice squad Monday and will likely elevate him to the roster. Hopkins has been excellent in converting 33 of 36 field-goal attempts, including 8-for-8 from 50-plus yards.