New York Jets Face a 'Must' Win Game Against the Cleveland Browns

After three straight losses, the New York Jets need to stop the bleeding before the season spirals.

by Bruce Haring

Oct 6, 2026

Geno Smith

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

New York Jets fans are fearing that their game against the Cleveland Browns this Sunday is a “must” win.

The Jets come into the game at 1-3, and have lost three in a row. While that’s not totally out of character for a team that went 3-14 last year, the Jets built expectations in their fan base with their performance in the first three games of the year.

They beat Tennessee (and who hasn’t, we might ask), then lost in overtime to the Green Bay Packers, then stood toe-to-toe with the Detroit Lions before falling. Then came an utter wipeout by the Chicago Bears, and longstanding Jets fans know that one more loss will send the team into a spiral that will not end well.

The Jets will be home Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., and have been installed as 2.5-point favorites in the early line. But the Browns carry their own expectations, having come out of the gate at 3-1, including beating the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, 27-24. They have also won against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Carolina Panthers, with the lone loss coming at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“We want to be one and zero, and that’s it,” Glenn said Monday. “We want to continue that as we progress through the season.”

Those are brave words, but the Jets have to know they are one week away from a potential disaster. Lose to the Browns and the season could spiral before Halloween, sending Jets fans into the familiar territory of looking at the April NFL Draft for comfort. The Jets do have three No. 1 draft choices in that draft and will be hunting for the franchise quarterback of their dreams.

Injuries are playing a part in the urgency to get a win. Starters Breece Hall, Adonai Mitchell, Mason Taylor and Dylan Parham all missed the Chicago game. It is unlikely that any of them will return against Cleveland.

The key to victory for the Jets will be giving Geno Smith time to throw. The O-line has surrendered eight sacks in the last two games, and running back Braelon Allen has struggled in secondary pass blocking. The Jets can’t win if Geno is under the gun, and he needs time not only to throw, but more than the paltry 32 plays the Jets mustered against the Bears.

On the other side of the ball, the Jets will need to do a better job of getting after the passer. Deshaun Watson is a professional quarterback and will eat the Jets alive if given enough time to throw.

The Browns are not going to the Super Bowl, and the Jets should be able to beat them in their home stadium. But if they can’t, look out below for the rest of the season.