SURPRISE, SURPRISE IN CLEVELAND AND NEW JERSEY

By Arnie Leshin 

It was just the right time to be playing at home on Sunday for goodies in Cleveland and, let’s get it right, New Jersey, where the New York Jets play.

First, the green and white Jets playing host to the other green, the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles at Met Life Stadium, then there was the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers paying a visit to the Browns. 

Results, no more teams in the National Football League with unblemished records. That came with two of the league’s surprises, the Browns, 19-17, over the Niners, the Jets 20-14 over the Eagles, and it didn’t matter where they played, until now the New York-New Jersey shared Jets had never dealt a loss to the team from down the way of the Jersey Turnpike.

Now all even at 3-3, the former Shea Stadium occupants, kind of like the nomads by the name “Nets”.  It was turning into the usual outcome versus Philly, where the Jets were falling to their 13th straight downfall history against the Eagles, who are now 5-1.

But hold on, the usual full-house at home were about to receive a gift, for in the final minutes Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts was about to throw his third interception. Picked off by Tony Adams at midfield, he wheeled and turned for a 45-yard steal that shook up the Jets’ fans, rocked the venue, placed the ball on the Eagles 8. 

The visitors were up 14-12, but the next play brought an almost untouched run up the middle for running back Breece Hall, the lead touchdown, and a 18-14 lead with the scoreboard clock at 1:46 after Jets’ quarterback Zach Wilson connected with Randall Cobb on a 2-point conversion for the 8-point advantage and a happy announced crowd of 73,627, the top attendance of the day.

Finally, the J-E-T-S had won one over the Eagles. And after the stunner in Cleveland, the 49ers were no longer undefeated. 

And they, like Philly, were now at 5-1. 

The Browns, who advanced to 3-2, went with P.J. Walker off the reserve list at quarterback after starter Deshaun Watson was sidelined with bruised right shoulder, and he did an excellent job. He was calm, made some quality passes, and even added some yardage along the ground. 

But for San Fran quarterback Brock Purdy, it turned into his first defeat after 15 consecutive wins, but it did look like he survived when down two points, rookie kicker Jake Moody missed a 41-yard field goal as it went far right with six seconds left.

Cleveland, which has the top-ranked defense in the league, (had allowed only 60 points going into this tilt), did another stellar job with four sacks, the three interceptions, and Duston Hopkins added four field goals, the last with 1:40 remaining, and from there it was a joy for the throng of 67,421.