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CLEVELAND (AP) – Sam Darnold thought he would wear an orange helmet in a few shades more than his hair color.
But the former USC star was not exactly what the Browns were looking for in a quarter of the franchise in the NFL draft. Darnold checked most, but not all, boxes and Cleveland pushed him back with the first choice, selecting Baker Mayfield instead.
Thursday night, Darnold can show the Browns that they made a mistake.
Another.
The youngest quarterback since 1970, Darnold will perform on the national stage for the second time as a professional as he leads the New York Jets at FirstEnergy Stadium to take on the Browns, who played well enough to win their first match. the first two games but are still looking for their first win since December 24, 2016.
Prior to the April project, Darnold was considered the best in the QB 2018 category and it looked like he would end up in Cleveland, where the quarterbacks have moved on as restaurant men over the past two decades.
"Yeah, I thought I could finish there or several other teams," said Darnold this week. "I was excited to go wherever I wanted to go. "Whoever wanted me, whoever wanted to choose me as the first choice, for me, it was a dream come true, when it happened."
After the Browns seized Mayfield and the Giants grabbed running back Saquon Barkley, the Jets took Darnold and were more than happy with his early development.
He rebounded by throwing an interception that was returned for TD on his first attempt in the first game and led the Jets to a 31-point victory. Last week, the 21-year-old became the youngest to spend 300 yards.
Darnold insists that he is not seeking revenge or trying to prove anything to the Browns.
"No," he said. "I'm just going to play ball."
The Jets and Browns are on different paths with their rookie quarterbacks. New York has chosen to launch Darnold, while Cleveland holds Mayfield listening to Tyrod Taylor.
It's not a race and the Browns do not need to rush.
"We feel very comfortable with the guy we picked at Baker, and I'm sure they do it with him," coach Hue Jackson said. "He is a good hope and will be a good player. I think they've had a good one, but we think we have a very good one.
After facing Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees – two future members of the Hall of Fame – weeks 1 and 2, the Browns do not see Darnold as a break.
"I do not think an NFL game is a break," linebacker Joe Schobert said.
"He has a big arm. He's doing good things as a quarterback. The hardest thing to do is to enter the NFL and play quarterback and succeed. And so far, he has been very strong and good.
PACKED PRESSURE
The Browns are down and desperate. They need a win, and after tapping their toes twice already, need to beat the Jets. A 1-1-1 record seems light years from 0-2-1.
"Our team is excited, hungry, disappointed, worried – all those words you want to use," said Jackson, who has a record of 1-32-1 in two seasons. "We just need to do it."
BACK HOME"
The Dawg Pound will be a kind of homecoming for several current Jets, who are former Browns.
Isaiah Crowell has played the last four years in Cleveland. Wide receiver Terrelle Pryor spent two seasons with the Browns, including a campaign in 2016 where the former quarter had 1,007 yards. Josh McCown, who is now Darnold's replacement and mentor, was his quarterback for some of those seasons.
Corner corner Buster Skrine played in Cleveland from 2011-14. Jets coach Todd Bowles also has a relationship with Cleveland as assistant coach under Butch Davis from 2001 to 2004.
ALIVE & KICKING
Last weekend, Greg Joseph was on the beach with friends: "You're just living life in South Florida." Things have changed quickly.
The rookie is now in the spotlight – or the reticle – as a new Cleveland kicker. Joseph signed this week after the Browns eliminated Zane Gonzalez for missing two more goals and two more points last week.
Joseph, who spent the pre-season with Miami, is delighted with this opportunity.
"My movie is there. My statistics are available, "he said. "I have learned a lot about myself, the athlete I am and the competitor I am. I am ready to bring it here.
Q is the answer
Darnold's favorite goal through two games was receiver Quincy Enunwa, who had 13 passes for 155 yards and one touchdown. Enunwa has been targeted 21 times, more than Pryor (11), Robby Anderson (six) and Jermaine Kearse (two) combined.
SACK RACE
The Jets won their first four sacks of the season last Sunday against Miami, the most since coming to Taylor seven times when he played with Buffalo in Week 9 last season.
"The whole unit, we certainly took it last week," said defensive end Leonard Williams. "We did not have a bag the first week, even though they quickly got the ball. At the same time, I do not want to apologize. We understood that last week and I hope we will continue to make progress. "
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