Browns start off preseason with a win over the Jets in the Hall of Fame Game

Photo by Charles Murray

Canton– The Cleveland Browns and New York Jets played their preseason opener Thursday night at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. This was the sixth time in franchise history that Cleveland has appeared in the Hall of Fame Game. It also marked the third time for the Jets.

The Browns had fun with their fans prior to the start of the game. The Cleveland faithful came out in full force to get their football fix. Myles Garrett played catch with the crowd in the stands. I must say he was slinging the pigskin into the nosebleeds. When a Jet’s fan caught one of the balls Garrett playfully rubbed off the ball on his shoes.

Jadeveon Clowney roamed the stadium taking pictures and signing autographs.

Joe Thomas was honored on the field prior to his enshrinement into the class of 2023 hall of fame on Saturday. The Browns also held a celebration of life for Jim Brown earlier in the afternoon.

Cade York was on point for most of warmups however he went on to miss a 49-yard field goal in the Browns 21-16 win over the Jets. York left many feeling uneasy last season and missing his first field goal in preseason isn’t going to give fans much confidence.

Deshaun Watson didn’t play in the Hall of Fame game leading way for Cleveland’s backups. The team split the halves for Kellen Mond and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Mond didn’t show anything spectacular in his first two quarters. He had a few connections with Cedric Tillman, however, Mond was for the most part underwhelming.

Thompson-Robinson’s time on the field was quite the opposite. Completing three of his five passes for 31-yards and running 30 yards on his own, the rookie turned things around for Cleveland. He blocked for Demetric Felton allowing the running back to score. Thompson-Robinson then threw a bullet to Auston Watkins giving the Browns the lead. DTR certainly outperformed Mond even if it’s “only preseason.”

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Cleveland game without a little craziness. The stadium lights on the south side went out between the third and fourth quarters causing a 20-minute delay. Once play resumed the Browns lit up the field on their own. They put up 14 unanswered points and Bubba Bolden erased any hopes for a Jet’s comeback with a key interception with less than a minute left in the game.

Some say it’s not “really football season” yet, I say differently. Albeit preseason there was a great vibe around the game. This preseason opener was even more special as the Browns were showcased in the Hall of Fame game. The weekend is full of events in Canton, be sure to check them out here.