Keys to the Game: How the Browns can beat the Jets on Thursday ...
With Jets QB Zach Wilson still in concussion protocol and not cleared for Thursday's game, QB Trevor Siemian will start for the second-straight game. In his first game against the Commanders in Week 16, Siemian completed 27 of 49 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Siemian has played in three games this season with the Jets, all in the month of December. He has completed 46 of 88 passes for 393 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. And yet, that's not his whole story.
Siemian has been around the league since 2015 in a variety of roles. He was with the Broncos for three seasons from 2015-17, then served as a backup to Kirk Cousins with the Vikings in 2018. He then signed with the Jets for the 2019 season and spent time on the Titans practice squad in 2020. He signed with the Saints in 2021, and with the Bears in 2022. Siemian then was signed to the Jets practice squad in September and signed to the active roster in November of this season. He took the field for the first time this season in Week 15.
He's played in 38 games over the course of his career, as he's completed 667 of 1,143 passes for 7,420 total yards and 43 touchdowns.
"Trevor Siemian's a guy that I know," HC Kevin Stefanski said. "Trevor is a guy that has played and won in this league."
The Browns defense has done well in applying pressure to quarterbacks and sacking the quarterback. They have 44 total sacks this season, which is tied for ninth in the league with the Buccaneers and Titans. DE Myles Garrett leads the team with 13 total sacks, followed by DE Za'Darius Smith with 5.5. They also have a total of 99 quarterback hits, with Garrett leading the team with 26 and Smith with 20. Their defensive line can look to apply pressure to Siemian on Thursday night to help limit their offensive success.