CLEVELAND — The Jets knew it was coming and still, they couldn’t stop it.
Which was damning.
Browns star receiver Amari Cooper, who had 265 receiving yards in Sunday’s game, was out for Thursday night’s game against the Jets with a heel injury.
So, Cleveland quarterback Joe Flacco was going to have to go elsewhere for his big pass plays, and elsewhere was always going to be David Njoku.
Njoku wasn’t all C.J. Mosley’s responsibility. But the Jets’ veteran linebacker and defensive captain was to be a big part of at least slowing down the Browns’ tight end, who put his Cedar Grove, N.J., hometown on the map long before Tommy DeVito did.
Njoku finished with six receptions for 134 yards and absolutely killed the Jets’ defense as the Browns ambushed them en route to a 37-20 win at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Njoku had four receptions for 111 yards in the first quarter, five for 128 yards in the first half. And he made Mosley look bad a few times.
The first back-breaker came on the fourth play from scrimmage, on a third-and-15 from the Cleveland 20. Flacco connected with Njoku across the middle and he was uncovered, rambling for 36 yards to set up the Browns’ first TD.
“Yeah, I slipped,’’ Mosley said afterward. “I hate that I slipped. I wish he would have just beaten me.’’
Three plays later, Flacco placed a pass perfectly over the outstretched arms of Mosley over the middle and connected with Njoku for another 28 yards to the Jets’ 7-yard line.
“I really didn’t know what the route was behind me, so I didn’t really know the depth I should have taken,’’ Mosley said of that play. “When he threw it, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is it,’ and [the ball] kept going. When that happens, you just listen for the crowd and when you hear the reaction you now if it’s a good play or a bad play.’’
It was, obviously, one of many bad plays the Jets’ defense made.
Njoku, on the Browns’ second possession, killed them with a 43-yard catch-and-run on third-and-12. That gave the Browns a first-and-goal from the Jets 7-yard line and set up their second TD.
“They were making the right calls and executing,’’ Mosley said. “They caught us on some bad plays. Give credit to them for doing their job.’’
Asked why the defense broke down so badly against Njoku, Mosley said, “Why? I’m not sure. But it was definitely disappointing. We hold our defense to a high standard and that definitely wasn’t our standard in the first half. We settled down in the second half and kind of made it a game.
“To be a great defense, we have to start fast every single game. Sometimes, you’re gonna get got sometimes.’’
The Jets got got on Thursday night, and Mosley was at the center of it, though he did force a Njoku fumble in the third quarter and recover it.
“I feel like I played well, outside of that play that really got me,’’ Mosley said. “I’m not big on if I got 15, 10 tackles, I don’t make that the basis if I played a good game. For me, it’s about communication and anticipation and understanding what the offense is trying to do to us.’’
In those areas, Mosley and the rest of the defense failed.
“I give them credit,’’ Mosley said. “Njoku’s a great player. Joe’s a great passer and great quarterback, and they connected really well. We understood that he was going to be their main target — especially with Amari Cooper not playing. Just give them credit. They executed their game plan in that first half.’’
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