The Browns kicked off week 17 action with a decisive 37-20 win over the Jets, with quarterback Joe Flacco pulling the strings masterfully.
Flacco started just his fifth game for Cleveland, after a November signing and had to perform against a tough Jets defense without the injured Amari Cooper.
The wide receiver scored a franchise breaking record of 265 yards against the Texans.
TE David Njoku was Flacco’s go-to-guy in helping the Browns to their first playoff in three years.
“Man, it just felt like we were able to move the line of scrimmage early on in the game and move the ball down the field,” Flacco told NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo.
“Got our run game going early. Got Dave (David Njoku) the ball early on and let him break some tackles. That’s what he does best. We carried that first drive all the way through the first half, and that kind of propelled us.”
Flacco threw for 296 yards in the first half alone, more than the Jets defense has conceded in a full game in 2023.
At the midway point Flacco and the Browns had 34 points, the joint highest tally the Jets have conceded all year in a single game.
Flacco scored 309 passing yards, becoming the first player in 33 games to throw that many against the Jets, since Tom Brady in 2021.
Flacco had the opportunity to sign for the Jets preseason, but New York declined.
The QB is now 4-1 as a starter and now holds the NFL record as the only player to have 250+ passing yards and at least 2 touchdowns in the first five games with a franchise.
