Browns, Joe Flacco strike first with TD pass to Jerome Ford - ESPN

Jake Trotter, ESPN Staff WriterDec 28, 2023, 08:45 PM ET

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Jake Trotter covers the Cleveland Browns for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2011 covering college football. Before that, he worked at The Oklahoman, Austin American-Statesman and Middletown (Ohio) Journal newspapers. You can follow him on Twitter @Jake_Trotter.

CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Browns wasted no time jumping on the New York Jets on Thursday night.

Quarterback Joe Flacco found running back Jerome Ford for a seven-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive, giving the Browns a 7-0 lead, but that was just the beginning.

With 6:15 left in the second quarter, Flacco threw his second TD pass, an eight-yarder to Elijah Moore for a 27-7 lead.

.@JeromeFord crosses the goal line for an opening drive TD for Cleveland!#NYJvsCLE on Prime VideoAlso available on #NFLPlus https://t.co/N4HZXoYgli pic.twitter.com/MbgDAN0ABp

On the opening drive, Flacco also completed two passes to tight end David Njoku totaling 64 yards, including a 36-yard strike on third-and-15.

Flacco now has 12 touchdown passes since joining the Browns in Week 13. Before that, Cleveland had only nine touchdown passes.

The Browns have scored a touchdown on the opening drive in four of Flacco's five starts this season.

After the Jets had tied the game 7-7 on a Breece Hall touchdown catch, the Browns marched down the field again in a drive ending with a seven-yard Kareem Hunt touchdown run. Cleveland missed the point-after to keep the score at 13-7.

Ronnie Hickman to the house! @asvprocket_#NYJvsCLE on Prime VideoAlso available on #NFLPlus https://t.co/N4HZXoYgli pic.twitter.com/EByumG2pdh

The Browns defense also got in on the action in the first quarter. Ronnie Hickman, an undrafted rookie out of Ohio State, intercepted Trevor Siemian and returned the turnover 30 yards for a touchdown.

The Browns had 20 points in a regular-season first quarter for the first time since 2016.

Flacco capped Cleveland's first-half scoring barrage by scrambling outside the pocket to his left before finding Ford wide open for a 50-yard touchdown. The Browns led 34-17 at the half.

Cleveland (10-5) can clinch a spot in the AFC playoffs with a victory.