There was much to not like about the way the Browns went into New York and suffered a 27-20 loss to a Jets team that has had an otherwise mostly flaccid 2025 season, but the least appealing part of the afternoon had to be the self-inflicted wounds. Two special teams touchdowns brought a special frustration, but the 10 penalties, often ill-timed, were mind-numbing and so often avoidable.
As the Akron Beacon-Journal put it in its game-story headline, “Browns give away game to Jets with dumb penalties, 2 special teams touchdowns.” Yeah, that about covers it.
The final penalty might well have been the dumbest, because it was a pre-snap penalty that came in a situation in which the entire stadium as well as the millions of viewers who braved the first 59 minutes of the game knew that the Jets had no intention of snapping the ball. New York was in a fourth-and-5 with less than a minute to play, set to give the Browns back the ball on a punt. But the Jets were at the 49-yard line and figured a delay of game penalty might give them more room to punt.
The only thing the Browns had to do was not move. Don’t jump offsides. Let the Jets take the penalty. Do nothing.
But fifth-year end Cam Thomas missed the memo. He jumped, the Jets converted the first down, kneeled twice and ended the game.
Browns’ Myles Garrett Admits ‘Frustration’
Thomas had gotten his first full sack in the game. But that’s not how the Browns backers are going to remember him in this one. This will be remembered for the moment in which he jumped offsides in a situation in which the broadcast team said it would be, “malpractice” for the Jets to actually snap the ball.
Frustration was there all around. But in the wake of the play, defensive lineman Myles Garrett said it was important to let Thomas know that this loss is not on him.
“It’s frustrating. There are plenty of frustrating things in a game, I just don’t know want my guy Cam to lose confidence or feel like he lost the game for us. That’s not the case,” Garrett said.
“There are so many plays in a game and you can’t let one hang on you and take away your confidence and who you are as a player. It was a learning moment for him and a chance to do better next time. Kind of like Andre (Szmyt) in the first game. You are going to have your opportunities. Just gotta make the most of it.”
GettyMyles Garrett #95 of the Cleveland Browns.
Cameron Thomas Not Entirely at Fault
Garrett was referring to kicker Szmyt, who missed a field goal with 2:26 to play in Week 1, in a 17-16 game the Browns lost to Cincinnati. The Browns picked Szmyt up after that miss, and he wound up beating the Packers with a last-second kick in Week 3.
For the Browns, Garrett sees the assignment as putting negativity behind them and continuing to move forward.
“I don’t care how they feel,” Garrett said.
“You gotta suit up. There’s still an opportunity, there’s still a chance. We still have eight more games. You never know what’s going to happen. I am going to make sure there is no quit in this team, I haven’t seen it before. It’s not going happen now. I am going to make sure everybody mans up and still knows exactly what the directive is.”
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