EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns were on the verge of pulling off their fourth straight fourth-quarter comeback victory.
Until it slipped right through their hands against the New York Jets. Literally.
A momentum-swinging botched punt in a driving rain Sunday was part of a critical late-game sequence that sent the Browns to a 17-12 loss
, ending their three-game winning streak.“Ultimately, not good enough, not clean
enough,” coach Todd Monken said. “I mean, that’s just the way it is. And when you do the things we did today, you’re going to put yourself behind the eight ball in terms of a chance of trying to win. And that’s what we did today.”
Cleveland trailed for most of the game, but took its first lead at 12-10 with 6:15 left when Watson threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to rookie Denzel Boston. Andre Szmyt hit the right upright on the extra point, though, preventing it from being a three-point game.
“I don’t know, I have to look at the film,” Szmyt said. “It feels like I almost hit it a little thin."
Still, the Browns (3-2) had the advantage at the point in the game during which they thrived the past three weeks. After Isaiah Williams' 36-yard kickoff return put the Jets in terrific field position, Cleveland got the ball right back when Carson Schwesinger sacked Geno Smith and Adin Huntington recovered the fumble.
Another score might've sealed it for the Browns. But the Jets forced a three-and-out and then their special teams came through.
Rex Sunahara's snap slid through punter Corey Bojorquez’s hands — perhaps with an assist from the rain, remnants of Hurricane Isaias — and bounced behind him as several players chased after it. New York's Trevin Wallace recovered, giving the Jets the ball at the Browns' 23-yard line.
Three plays later, Braelon Allen ran 22 yards for a touchdown that put the Jets ahead with 3:01 remaining.
“Well, just kind of fits the day, right?” Monken said. “There was a sequence there of special teams plays where you miss the extra point, you give up the long kick return, defense comes up with a big stop, and then we mishandle the snap or the catch. ... When you don’t play clean, you’re going to get beat, and we got beat because of those things, and we’re going to work like heck to fix it.”
Cleveland had one final opportunity to pull it out, but Watson fumbled when he was sacked on fourth down by Will McDonald — the eighth time the Jets brought down the Browns quarterback — and McDonald recovered to seal it for New York.
“There was still hope,” Watson said of having the ball with 1:41 left. "There were still opportunities. Again, they capitalized on it better than us. We got a penalty, a sack and some missed opportunities, but that happens.
“We will get on the bus, get on this flight, watch the tape and see what we could have done better, learn and get ready for Baltimore next week. The opportunity might happen again.”
Watson finished 15 of 33 for 155 yards and the TD to Boston, but was also hurt by dropped passes — as were the Jets — and Cleveland's running game could never get going consistently as the teams slipped and slid to a close finish.
“It was tough,” Watson said of the wet conditions. “We try not to make that as an excuse. We tried to adjust to the elements as best as possible and tried to make as many plays as we possibly can.”
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