On Thursday night, the Cleveland Browns jumped on the New York Jets right away.
The first drive ended with a seven-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Flacco to running back Jerome Ford, giving the Browns a 7-0 lead, but that was only the start.
When there was 6:15 remaining in the second quarter, Flacco found Elijah Moore for an eight-yard TD pass, giving the team a 27-7 lead.
Flacco also threw two passes for 64 yards to tight end David Njoku on the first drive, including a 36-yard completion on third-and-15.
Since joining the Browns in Week 13, Flacco has now thrown 12 touchdown passes. Cleveland had only completed nine touchdown passes prior to that.
Of Flacco’s five starts this season, the Browns have scored a touchdown on the first drive in four of them.
The Browns marched down the field once more on a drive that ended in a seven-yard touchdown run by Kareem Hunt, after the Jets’ touchdown catch of Breece Hall to tie the score at seven points. In order to maintain the score at 13-7, Cleveland missed the point-after.
In the first quarter, the Browns defence participated in the action as well. Trevor Siemian was intercepted by Ohio State’s undrafted rookie Ronnie Hickman, who returned the fumble 30 yards for a touchdown.
For the first time since 2016, the Browns scored 20 points in the first quarter of the regular season.
Flacco finished off Cleveland’s offensive explosion in the first half by scurrying to his left outside the pocket and found Ford wide open for a 50-yard touchdown. At the half, the Browns were ahead 34–17.
With a win, Cleveland (10-5) can guarantee a position in the AFC playoffs.