New York Jets versus Cleveland Browns matchup is a family affair
It will be Ryan versus Ryan when head coach Rex Ryan's New York Jets go up against offensive coordinator Rob Ryan's (Rex's younger brother) Cleveland Browns on Sunday, 14 November.
Previous meetings and recent games
Since realignment the Browns have had the edge over the Jets winning three out of four meetings including the most recent one 24-18 back on December 9, 2007.
The Jets at 6-2 may have looked coming into the game like heavy favorites, but since their bye week they were shutout 9-0 by the Green Bay Packers, and needed to come from behind to snatch an overtime win against the 2-6 Detroit Lions.
The Cleveland Browns are a team that many are suggesting are better than their record suggests. At the 3-5, the Browns have had arguably one of the toughest schedules in the NFL. They are coming off two huge wins in their last two games defeating the reigning
Super Bowl champions, the New Orleans Saints, and the New England Patriots who went into their game with the best record in the NFL.
How they match up
Not only will Rex Ryan be going up against his brother, but this will mark the first time that Browns head coach Eric Mangini will go up against his former team. Mangini got his head coaching start with the Jets and was in charge of the team for three seasons
leading them to the play-offs in his first year, and earning him the nickname "Mangenius".
On the field, the Jets have the edge on both sides of the ball. The Jets possess the better running game overall as a rejuvenated LaDainian Tomlinson has rediscovered his old form and is one half of a dynamic 1-2 punch for the Jets, the other half being
Shonn Greene. Third-year running back Peyton Hillis has been effective for the Browns this year and he chalked up 184 yards against the Patriots. He is, however, about to go up against the league's fourth best run defence.
Under center the Jets are proving that they have the advantage. Mark Sanchez finally threw for over 300 yards in a game and was instrumental in leading the comeback against the Lions last week. The Browns rookie quarterback, Colt McCoy, who will likely be
the starter for the Browns could not make such a claim. In his three starts this season, his one loss was actually his most productive. McCoy only completed as many passes in his last two games combined as he completed in his first start. Still, the Browns
have two of their three wins with him as a starter.
What to expect
With the Ryan brothers placing so much emphasis on defence one should expect this to be a low-scoring affair. Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer should have enough savvy to get the Jets into opposing territory more than the Browns will, as he
is relying on slightly more proven personnel.
Mangini always manages to get his team fired up for the big games, especially when he has something personally invested in it like he did in beating his mentor Bill Belichick last week.
The Browns are everybody's favorite dark horse and the game is also in Cleveland. You've got to love an underdog. Browns win 12-10.
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