When the curtain falls on the 2007 NFL regular season there will be 6 teams from the AFC and 6 teams from the NFC headed into the playoffs. No one will be asking who those teams beat to get there, they will just be acknowledging that they did. When the clock hit 0:00 Sunday evening in New York the Cleveland Browns had won their 8th game in 13 tries and moved one step closer to those playoffs by beating the Jets 24-18.

The game was far from beautiful, in fact the 2 teams did all of their scoring in the 1st half with just under a minute and a half to play. The Browns took a slim 7-3 lead into half, but would build on it with their 1st possession of the 2nd half. The Browns received the opening kickoff of the 2nd half and marched 61 yards in 5 plays. The drive was finished off by a Derek Anderson to Braylon Edwards 4-yard fade pass for a TD which gave the Browns a 14-3 lead. In fact the Browns led the whole way, but never seemed to be able to put the Jets a way.

Leading 17-6, with just 10:07 to play the Browns took over at their own 31. Behind the strong running of Jamal Lewis they moved the ball to the Jets 38. They seemed to be applying the same strategy they used just 2 weeks prior in Cleveland against the Texans, run the ball and finish the game. Curiously however the next 2 play calls were passes that fell incomplete and the Browns were forced to punt with 7:47 to play. They could have easily milked another 1:30 - 2:00 off the clock by running, but did not. The Jets got the ball and were forced to punt it back to the Jets by going 3 and out with 6:30 to play.

The Browns again started with the run on the 1st play of the series, but Lewis was stopped for a 1-yard loss. The next 2 plays again were passes that fell incomplete and the Browns were forced to punt the ball back to the Jets with 5:27 to play. Again they could have ran another 1:30 - 2:00 off the clock, but decided to pass the ball in a driving rain. Curious play calling to say the least and something the media in Cleveland would have feasted on if in fact the Browns would have lost the game.

The Jets, to their credit, did not quit and marched down field in 2:28 and scored cutting the Browns lead to 17-12. They tried a 2-point conversion, but were unsuccessful. This game was far from over though. Jets kicker Mike Nugent set up and executed a perfect onside kick that was recovered by the Jets Brad Smith. The Browns were watching the game slip a way as Clemens marched the Jets to the Browns 20 yard line, it was as far as they would get though. With 4t hand 10 looming and all their timeouts still remaining, Jets head coach Eric Mangini decided to kick a field goal and cut the lead to 2. Nugent hit and the score was now Browns 17, Jets 15 and there was still 1:48 to play.

At first Nugent hit a low squibbing kick that went out of bounds, but got a reprieve when Browns LB Leon Williams was flagged for off-sides on the play. The Jets then decided an on-side kick was the best option. This time Browns WR Joe Jurevicius came up with the ball at the Jets 37. The Jets used 2 of their timeouts to force a 3rd and 4 for the Browns at the Jets 31 with 1:31 to play. Lewis took the handoff and was not going to be denied. Not only did he get the 4-yards and the 1st down, he 31-yards and a touchdown that sealed the deal or would it? The Browns were now up 24-15, the Jets were done surely. Not quite.

The Jets took the ball at their own 40 with 1:14 to play and drove to the Browns 17 with :37 seconds to play. Mangini again decided to kick a field goal and cut the lead to 24-18. Nugent again set up for an onside kick, but again Jurevicus was in the right place and recovered at the Jets 42. Two quick kneel downs by Derek Anderson and the Browns had won a wild one for their 8th win of the year. The win puts Cleveland in the 6th and final playoff spot, 1 game ahead of the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans.

Though the finish was wild and Jamal Lewis was huge it was the Browns defense that was the star of the game. After Anderson had thrown an interception, giving the Jets a 1st down at the Browns 12 yard line, the defense needed a stop. The Jets had 1st and goal from the Browns 1-yard line. They tried 1 straight hand offs to RB Thomas Jones, but the Browns stuffed him both times. On 3rd down Clemens dropped back to pass, but was picked off in the end zone by Browns safety Sean Jones. The drive was over and the game was changed. The Browns defense tallied 4 sacks, 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble and 7 QB hurries Sunday. It was a complete turn around from the week before when the Browns failed to sack Arizona QB Kurt Warner and only had 1 QB hurry. The jury is still out on the Browns defense, but they will be needed if in fact the Browns are going to make the playoffs this season.

The Browns have a huge match up at home with the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. The Bills are 7-6 and fighting with the Browns for the final playoff spot in the AFC. The winner of this game is in the driver's seat. If the Browns win and the Titans lose to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Browns will lock up a playoff spot.

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