The Browns are back from their bye week and begin the second half of the season when they face the Jets in Week 10. Cleveland has nine games left on the season with a chance to improve their 2-6 record beginning with their matchup against New York.
"Great opportunity in front of us," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "Road game, AFC opponent. Looking forward to the challenge. Obviously, they're coming off a bye, just like us. They're coming off a big win a couple weeks ago. So, our focus is to play our best on the road and find a way to get a victory. It's our challenge, trying to learn from some of the things we spent time with over the bye on offense, defense and special teams and apply some of those learnings starting this week."
Here are three burning questions for Sunday's game.
How will the Browns utilize the run game?
The Browns will face a Jets' defense that gives up an average of 135.8 rushing yards per game this season, the seventh-most rushing yards allowed in the league.
While the Browns have struggled to consistently establish the run, as they average just 89.5 rushing yards per game, RB Quinshon Judkins has provided a spark for their rushing attack. Judkins is averaging 69.4 rushing yards per game and has scored five touchdowns on 118 carries in his first seven games. The Browns can look to establish the run against the Jets' run defense to move the ball downfield and put them in position to score.
"I think very highly of coach (Aaron) Glenn and Steve Wilks and what they do defensively, what they do schematically," Stefanski said. "I think they have guys that can really run, which makes it tough in the run game. Just watch their tape – they have guys that are flying to the football. So, it's a huge challenge. Obviously, putting our game plan together, trying to make sure that we're putting our guys in spots that they're comfortable, and that's in the run and the pass. But it's going to be quite the challenge."
Browse photos of the Cleveland Browns practicing at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus as they prepare for their Week 10 matchup against the New York Jets.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Assistant Defensive Line Coach Adam Morris during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Wide receiver Malachi Corley (83) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end Brenden Bates (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end Caden Prieskorn (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end Blake Whiteheart (86) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Cornerback Tyson Campbell (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Running back Raheim Sanders (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Defensive tackle Mason Graham (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Defensive tackle Shelby Harris (93) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
A helmet during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
A helmet during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (44) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Wide receiver Malachi Corley (83) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Wide receiver Gage Larvadain (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Cornerback Dom Jones (37) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Cornerback Dom Jones (37) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Cornerback Tyson Campbell (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Cleats during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Safety Donovan McMillon (31) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Safety Christopher Edmonds (41) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Safety Christopher Edmonds (41) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Linebacker Jerome Baker (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Offensive Coordinator Tommy Rees during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end Caden Prieskorn (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Wide receiver Luke Floriea (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Wide receiver Kaden Davis (89) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Wide receiver Luke Floriea (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end Caden Prieskorn (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end Brenden Bates (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end Brenden Bates (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end Caden Prieskorn (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end Sal Cannella (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Tight end Caden Prieskorn (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Wide receiver Luke Floriea (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Assistant Wide Receivers Coach Stephen Bravo-Brown during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Linebacker Cameron McGrone (48) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Defensive lineman Adin Huntington (98) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Offensive tackle KT Leveston (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Defensive lineman Adin Huntington (98) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Cornerback Dom Jones (37) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Offensive lineman Garrett Dellinger (52) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski and Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Defensive end Alex Wright (91) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
Running back Raheim Sanders (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 5, 2025.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on November 3, 2025.
How will the Browns stop the Jets' run game?
The Jets rank third in the league in average rushing yards per game, running the ball on average 143.6 yards per game. RB Breece Hall leads New York with 117 carries for 581 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Yet, the Browns also must be aware of the dual-threat ability of QB Justin Fields if he starts on Sunday, as he can use his legs to run the ball — totaling the second-most carries among the Jets with 53 for 288 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
"It just makes you defend one extra guy," defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. "It's like having an extra blocker out there because you have to have availability to handle the quarterback. So, a lot of different ways to do it, but it certainly adds a different dimension. (Justin) Fields has tremendous speed. He's a 4-3 type quarterback. He's got great size. They have called quarterback runs like quarterback sweeps, particularly in short yardage. They have quarterback draws and then they have options, whether it's a zone read or an RPO and things like that. It just really makes you play sound."
This season, the Browns are limiting opposing teams in the run game, as they give up an average of 94.3 rushing yards per game — the ninth best in the league. If the Browns can stop the run and force the Jets to throw the ball, as a team that ranks last in the league in average passing yards per game, they can bottle up their ability to move the ball downfield and score.
"I think it's the highest percentage of run game on base downs that we've seen all year. Breece Hall seems to patient enough to find the hole, has speed to test the perimeter, and we all know Justin Fields' zone read, carrying the ball, rush yards. He has like five touchdowns, zero interceptions," S Grant Delpit said. "We have two zone-read teams back-to-back weeks, so it kind of helps us out in that area. But as we know, dual-threat quarterbacks are what the league's kind of turning into, so it'll be a good test."
How will the Browns force fumbles?
According to ESPN, the Jets have fumbled the ball seven times over the course of the season – which is in a four-way tie for the most fumbles in the NFL – and the Browns' defense can look to use that to their advantage on Sunday.
Defensively, the Browns have looked to create those turnovers over the course of the season in order to keep opposing offenses off the field. Those turnovers have begun to stack up, as they have forced nine fumbles and recovered four, giving the ball back to their offense in different scenarios.
The Browns have had key turnovers – including a forced fumble and recovery in Week 7 against the Dolphins – that have shifted the momentum of games. With the Jets' tendency to use the run game, Cleveland can look for opportunities to punch the ball loose and cause the fumble.
"Just trying to attack the ball," CB Denzel Ward said. "We have to attack the ball and execute on that. Trying to get turnovers and force those in the game. That'll go well for us once we can win that turnover margin."
