Pro Football Hall of Fame Game: Browns dominate second half to beat Jets 21-16
NFL
Published on : 8/3/2023
By Barry Wilner
Special to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
A short drive down the interstate turned into a profitable trip for the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns opened the NFL preseason Thursday night about an hour away from their training facility, but feeling quite at home as they rallied to beat the New York Jets 21-16 in the 2023 Hall of Fame Game. Down 16-7 at halftime, the Browns blanked the Jets the rest of the way and scored a pair of touchdowns behind quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the 140th overall draft choice in April.
“Really a fun night for us just to watch those young guys compete and fly around,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Nothing perfect, often times quite the opposite of perfect, but flying around, giving great effort. I loved how all the guys who weren't playing were into it and they were cheering their teammates on and they were giving great support.”
The Hall of Fame Game is a night for youngsters trying to prove themselves and for players on the back end of the roster hoping to impress. New York’s prize of the offseason, four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, stood at the sideline with a headset on. Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson was idle, as well.
Each team was eager to get production from some rookies, with Thompson-Robinson the most active. A UCLA product, he provided a spark in the final two quarters with some sharp passing and scrambling.
“Definitely excited," Thompson-Robinson said. "It's always good to get football back in your life and actually being able to get some game reps in there, so super fun being out there.”
New York saw running back Izzy Abanikanda, a fifth-round draft pick from Pitt, and receiver Xavier Gipson of Stephen F. Austin stand out, as did the Jets’ special teams.
Thompson-Robinson made some electric moves on a 15-yard run during the Browns’ 93-yard drive to a 16-yard TD sprint by Demetric Felton Jr. that made it 16-14. The Jets helped out with three defensive penalties as flags often flew, hardly abnormal for early preseason games.
A bank of lights darkened at the outset of the fourth quarter, causing a delay of 17 minutes during which head coaches Robert Saleh of the Jets and Kevin Stefanski of the Browns met with game officials at midfield. The players went to their respective sidelines or tossed footballs at the edge of the field.
Both coaches said they didn’t want too long of a delay, so ending the game after three quarters was an option.
When play resumed, another Browns rookie, running back Hassan Hall of Georgia Tech, found plenty of room for gains of 12 and 18 yards.
Thompson-Robinson put Cleveland ahead for the first time with a pinpoint 22-yard pass to Austin Watkins for a 21-16 lead.
From there, the Browns withstood a late drive by the Jets even though Cleveland defenders botched two potential interceptions before Bubba Bolden made the clinching pick.
Although this was a preseason match, it also was the first Browns game since 1956 without the late JIM BROWN. The Hall of Fame running back who passed away in May was remembered earlier Thursday at an event honoring his legacy on and off the field and attended by dozens of Hall of Famers. Read more about the celebration of Brown's life here.
Before kickoff, each of the Hall of Fame Class of 2023 members were introduced, with the loudest cheers reverberating throughout Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium for Browns tackle JOE THOMAS – including plenty of dog barks from the team’s thousands of fans on hand in a crowd of 19,020.
“I mean it was awesome,” Stefanski said. “The atmosphere was incredible. A ton of Brownies fans, as we all knew, made the drive down. We're so fortunate to get to play in this game, it being in our backyard. The Hall of Fame is incredible. So fortunate to be able to honor Joe Thomas and what he's meant to this team, this city, this community. So it was just a great night. Our guys love playing in this stadium. Under the lights, it takes you back to 'Friday Night Lights.' ”
His classmate for induction, longtime Cowboys and Broncos edge rusher DeMARCUS WARE, sang the national anthem, adding a nice new touch to the proceedings.
And then, with Greg Zuerlein’s kickoff, the NFL was back.
Perhaps appropriately, it was strong-legged Zuerlein’s 54-yard field goal that opened the scoring, set up by Zach Wilson’s 57-yard completion to Malik Taylor.
“Great call by Aaron,” Wilson explained, smiling as he said it. “That was Aaron’s suggestion. We were backed up then and took the shot downfield, Malik’s been doing a great job all camp and I wanted to get a ball to him.”
“I’m very grateful to him,” he added about Rodgers. “He helps me all the time.”
Zuerlein was the man again, this time from 44 yards, after Cleveland’s Anthony Schwartz coughed up the ball on, coincidentally, a jet sweep. New York carried the 6-0 edge into the second quarter.
Some more Cleveland sloppiness led to the first touchdown of the preseason. Jets second-year linebacker Chazz Surratt picked off Kellen
Mond’s throw and returned it 13 yards to the Browns 27. Three plays later, Abanikanda swept around left end and dived to the pylon for a 13-0 lead.
Surratt later left with a hamstring injury.
Finally, all those spectators clad in brown and orange got loud for some positive action by Cleveland’s offense. Mond converted a fourth-and-1 near midfield with a QB sneak, and the Browns drove relentlessly downfield for John Kelly’s 3-yard reception to make it 13-7 with 31 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Usually, that would end the first-half scoring. Instead, the Jets got a 45-yard kickoff runback by Gipson, and Zuerlein, nicknamed "Greg The Leg," showed exactly why with a 53-yard field goal for a 16-7 edge at the break.
But the second half belonged to Cleveland.
Hall of Fame President Jim Porter presented Rings of Excellence at halftime to the families of six deceased inductees: GEORGE ALLEN, WINSTON HILL, ALEX KARRAS, BILL NUNN, ED SPRINKLE and DICK STANFEL. Read more about their Rings of Excellence here.
Special to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
A short drive down the interstate turned into a profitable trip for the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns opened the NFL preseason Thursday night about an hour away from their training facility, but feeling quite at home as they rallied to beat the New York Jets 21-16 in the 2023 Hall of Fame Game. Down 16-7 at halftime, the Browns blanked the Jets the rest of the way and scored a pair of touchdowns behind quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the 140th overall draft choice in April.
“Really a fun night for us just to watch those young guys compete and fly around,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “Nothing perfect, often times quite the opposite of perfect, but flying around, giving great effort. I loved how all the guys who weren't playing were into it and they were cheering their teammates on and they were giving great support.”
The Hall of Fame Game is a night for youngsters trying to prove themselves and for players on the back end of the roster hoping to impress. New York’s prize of the offseason, four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, stood at the sideline with a headset on. Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson was idle, as well.
Each team was eager to get production from some rookies, with Thompson-Robinson the most active. A UCLA product, he provided a spark in the final two quarters with some sharp passing and scrambling.
“Definitely excited," Thompson-Robinson said. "It's always good to get football back in your life and actually being able to get some game reps in there, so super fun being out there.”
New York saw running back Izzy Abanikanda, a fifth-round draft pick from Pitt, and receiver Xavier Gipson of Stephen F. Austin stand out, as did the Jets’ special teams.
Thompson-Robinson made some electric moves on a 15-yard run during the Browns’ 93-yard drive to a 16-yard TD sprint by Demetric Felton Jr. that made it 16-14. The Jets helped out with three defensive penalties as flags often flew, hardly abnormal for early preseason games.
A bank of lights darkened at the outset of the fourth quarter, causing a delay of 17 minutes during which head coaches Robert Saleh of the Jets and Kevin Stefanski of the Browns met with game officials at midfield. The players went to their respective sidelines or tossed footballs at the edge of the field.
Both coaches said they didn’t want too long of a delay, so ending the game after three quarters was an option.
When play resumed, another Browns rookie, running back Hassan Hall of Georgia Tech, found plenty of room for gains of 12 and 18 yards.
Thompson-Robinson put Cleveland ahead for the first time with a pinpoint 22-yard pass to Austin Watkins for a 21-16 lead.
From there, the Browns withstood a late drive by the Jets even though Cleveland defenders botched two potential interceptions before Bubba Bolden made the clinching pick.
Although this was a preseason match, it also was the first Browns game since 1956 without the late JIM BROWN. The Hall of Fame running back who passed away in May was remembered earlier Thursday at an event honoring his legacy on and off the field and attended by dozens of Hall of Famers. Read more about the celebration of Brown's life here.
Before kickoff, each of the Hall of Fame Class of 2023 members were introduced, with the loudest cheers reverberating throughout Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium for Browns tackle JOE THOMAS – including plenty of dog barks from the team’s thousands of fans on hand in a crowd of 19,020.
“I mean it was awesome,” Stefanski said. “The atmosphere was incredible. A ton of Brownies fans, as we all knew, made the drive down. We're so fortunate to get to play in this game, it being in our backyard. The Hall of Fame is incredible. So fortunate to be able to honor Joe Thomas and what he's meant to this team, this city, this community. So it was just a great night. Our guys love playing in this stadium. Under the lights, it takes you back to 'Friday Night Lights.' ”
His classmate for induction, longtime Cowboys and Broncos edge rusher DeMARCUS WARE, sang the national anthem, adding a nice new touch to the proceedings.
And then, with Greg Zuerlein’s kickoff, the NFL was back.
The moment you’ve waited for. Football season has started! pic.twitter.com/LYeiFfeHi3
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) August 4, 2023
Perhaps appropriately, it was strong-legged Zuerlein’s 54-yard field goal that opened the scoring, set up by Zach Wilson’s 57-yard completion to Malik Taylor.
“Great call by Aaron,” Wilson explained, smiling as he said it. “That was Aaron’s suggestion. We were backed up then and took the shot downfield, Malik’s been doing a great job all camp and I wanted to get a ball to him.”
“I’m very grateful to him,” he added about Rodgers. “He helps me all the time.”
Zuerlein was the man again, this time from 44 yards, after Cleveland’s Anthony Schwartz coughed up the ball on, coincidentally, a jet sweep. New York carried the 6-0 edge into the second quarter.
Some more Cleveland sloppiness led to the first touchdown of the preseason. Jets second-year linebacker Chazz Surratt picked off Kellen
Mond’s throw and returned it 13 yards to the Browns 27. Three plays later, Abanikanda swept around left end and dived to the pylon for a 13-0 lead.
Surratt later left with a hamstring injury.
Finally, all those spectators clad in brown and orange got loud for some positive action by Cleveland’s offense. Mond converted a fourth-and-1 near midfield with a QB sneak, and the Browns drove relentlessly downfield for John Kelly’s 3-yard reception to make it 13-7 with 31 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
Usually, that would end the first-half scoring. Instead, the Jets got a 45-yard kickoff runback by Gipson, and Zuerlein, nicknamed "Greg The Leg," showed exactly why with a 53-yard field goal for a 16-7 edge at the break.
But the second half belonged to Cleveland.
Hall of Fame President Jim Porter presented Rings of Excellence at halftime to the families of six deceased inductees: GEORGE ALLEN, WINSTON HILL, ALEX KARRAS, BILL NUNN, ED SPRINKLE and DICK STANFEL. Read more about their Rings of Excellence here.
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