5thingstowatchas Jets face Browns in Week 5 of 2026 NFL season

The Jets dropped to 1-3 with their disappointing loss in Chicago last weekend, but have an opportunity to start reversing their fortunesthis weekend as they host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

However, the Browns have been one of the biggest surprises over the first month of the season, winning three of their first four games.

Here are the main storylines towatchas the Jets look to improve to 2-3...

Can the Jets reverse some worrying trends from last week?

Time will tell whether Sunday's loss to theBears was a minor blip, or proof that the Jets have regressed in multiple areas after a promising start. New York will be hoping to make major improvements in a few key areas where theBears dominated last week.

First and foremost, they'll be looking for a better performance from quarterback Geno Smith, who followed up an impressive 300-yard game against the Lions with an inaccurate performance in Chicago. Smith only completed eight passes as the Jets were unable to sustain drives, failing to convert on all seven of their third down opportunities.

Smith will be able to get into a better rhythm if the defense can get off the field more effectively, so they must do a better job of stopping the run. That may be easier than last week as Cleveland's top running back, Quinshon Judkins, is averaging just three yards per carry.

New York also must play with better discipline on defense -- they gifted the Bears eight first downs by penalty alone last week -- more than the Jets' offense managed all day.

Will New York's special teams unit step up again?

One of the Jets' three wins last season came over the Browns at MetLife Stadium. One of the main things that sparked the win was the return game, as Kene Nwangwu and Isaiah Williams each had first quarter touchdown returns.

The special teams unit was a strength for the Jets last season, but has been disappointing in 2026. However, Nwangwu returned from injury last week and the special teams performance was markedly better than in previous weeks. This would be a good time for them to provide another lift.

Can the Jets keep forcing turnovers?

Minkah Fitzpatrick finally ended the Jets' interception drought last weekend, and the team is starting to show signs of being capable of creating takeaways.

Last season, New York infamously failed to record a single interception, and they also didn't have a turnover of any kind until Week 6. In 2026, they have four takeaways already after just four games.

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Furthermore, they are starting to show a desire to go after the football, as displayed by the fact they actually intercepted four Tyson Bagent passes last week, though three of them didn't count due to defensive penalties.

Could this be a sign the Jets are going to be creating these opportunities on a regular basis?

Open field tackling will be a key factor

One of the keys to Cleveland's surprising start has been the play of rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston, who leads the team in receiving yards. In many ways, Boston has been what the Jets were hoping first-round pick Omar Cooper would be before he got hurt, as he is among the league leaders in yards after catch per reception.

Boston's playmaking ability has been on display already this season, as he had touchdowns of 46 and 55 yards earlier in the year. In what are expected to be wet conditions once again in East Rutherford, the Jets will need to be wary of allowing Boston to slip away from any tackle attempts in the open field.

Cleveland also features its running backs in the passing game a lot, as Judkins and Raheim Sanders have combined to catch 25 passes so far, so New York will also need to tackle effectively on dump-offs, checkdowns, and screen passes.

Will Gang Green weaponize their tight ends in the passing game?

After Kenyon Sadiq's breakout game against Detroit -- which also featured a career-high five receptions and a touchdown for Jeremy Ruckert -- it looked like the Jets were establishing their tight ends as a big part of their passing game.

However, on Sunday, only one pass was completed to a tight end -- an 11-yarder to Jelani Woods.

The Jets should be looking to get their tight ends heavily involved this week, especially with Mason Taylor set to return after missing two games with a thumb injury. They could look to exploit linebacker Quincy Williams, who struggled badly in coverage with the Jets last season.

Smith will be less willing to test Williams' fellow starting linebacker Carson Schwesinger, though, because last season's defensive rookie of the year is already establishing himself as among the league's best.

The Browns are seemingly aware of Williams' coverage deficiencies as they have been using him as a blitzer more often. New York needs to be wary of that, too, because they have allowed some costly sacks on missed blitz pickups in recent weeks.