After a scary beginning to the game the New York Jets turned things around and pounded Johnny Manziel and the Cleveland Browns 31-10.
By Robby Sabo
All in all, the head coaching debut for Todd Bowles went pretty well. His New York Jets came away with the 31-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
The start of the game was a little rocky. After the Jets were forced to punt the ball, Josh McCown and the Browns went on a drive that lasted over nine minutes, eating up most of the first-quarter.
However, it ended up with a foolish goalline dive by McCown, resulting in a turnover after Calvin Pryor and Demario Davis combined for the monster hit.
Josh McCown saw a lane.
Dove towards the end zone…FUMBLE! #CLEvsNYJ http://t.co/LDWLrhm82t
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2015
McCown went to the locker room with a concussion, never to be seen on the day again. This gave an early season opportunity for Johnny Manziel. And boy did he take advantage of it early on.
Manziel connected with wide receiver Travis Benjamin for a 54-yard touchdown. The Jets blitzed and Antonio Cromartie got beat.
Here it is.
The first touchdown pass of Johnny Manziel's NFL career. http://t.co/gk9d9hCOKv
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) September 13, 2015
After that stunning first touchdown, the story of the day quickly turned from Manziel to Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick then led the Jets on a drive that was kept alive by this beautiful strip of an interception by Brandon Marshall.
So Tashaun Gipson intercepted the ball.
That didn't stop Brandon Marshall from ripping it out of his hands #CLEvsNYJ http://t.co/7NbHXnhaf1
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2015
Two plays later Chris Ivory cashed in to tie the game.
The turning point came just before the half. Instead of the Jets offense (who was struggling to even run the ball early on) playing conservatively, Bowles allowed Fitzpatrick to run the two-minute offense.
The nine-play drive lasted 2:20 and went 72-yards. It resulted in an Eric Decker touchdown off a post in the back of the end-zone to give New York a much needed 14-10 lead at halftime.
The second half was all Jets. Manziel was inaccurate and sloppy with the ball. He threw an interception to Marcus Williams and fumbled twice while scrambling out of the pocket.
New York’s offense kept pounding the ball and allowing Fitzpatrick to pull the trigger. The balance in the second half was much better than what we saw early on.
Marshall hauled in his first touchdown as a Jet after the Willaims interception in the third quarter, and Ivory punched in his second of the day later on in the fourth.
Same player. Different uniform.
Brandon Marshall scrapes the sky for his first @NYJets TD
#CLEvsNYJ http://t.co/VvVL0ME6IF
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2015
After a tough opening drive, the Jets defense settled down thereafter. The defensive line was stout, allowing Browns running backs to combine for only 46 total rushing yards. Their only downfall was the scrambling Manziel picking up 35 yards on the ground.
Two of injuries of note came by way of Cromartie injuring his knee, and rookie Lorenzo Mauldin who left on a spinal board and taken to the hospital with an apparent scary neck, head injury.
Fitzpatrick finished with 179 workmanlike yards and 2 TD on 15-of-24 passing; Ivory ran for 91 yards and 2 TD on 20 tries; and Marshall hauled in six receptions and 61 yards and a score.
The Jets will now turn their attention to the 0-1 Indianapolis Colts.
1-0. #JetUp pic.twitter.com/ivz0WeVS0K
— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 13, 2015
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