Todd Monken is no stranger to the New York Jets. He previously interviewed for the role in 2019 but ultimately lost out to Adam Gase. At the time, however, someone from the Jets’ organization told him, “Don’t forget that you’re a Mercedes when you look in the mirror. You can’t control if they wanted a Lexus.” Fast forward to now, and Monken is the Cleveland Browns‘ head coach, set to face the same Jets on the road at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
It’s worth noting that after a humiliating loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in their season opener, Monken has managed to lead his team to three consecutive wins. Naturally, expectations for the Browns to beat a 1-3 team are high. This is exactly why Cleveland media personality Nick Pedone has explained why winning against the Jets is crucial for Monken and the Browns.
“There’s something to be said,” said Pedone on 92.3 The Fan. “I also think in the National Football League that if you want to be a good team and be a serious team in this league, these are the games you just absolutely have to win. No debate about it. When you match up, and Todd said it yesterday when they asked them about the weather, when he said line up, spot the ball, and let’s play.
“When you know going in that you’ve got the better record at three and one against a one and three ball club, you’ve got superior talent than the New York Jets. Earl, in my mind, you have to win this football game. And if you don’t, it’s nothing short of a colossal embarrassment.”
Pedone’s comments carry significant weight considering the first four weeks of the 2026 season for the Browns. Cleveland opened the season with a disappointing 34-10 loss to the Jaguars, failing to score a point till late in the third quarter.
While the team recorded three consecutive wins, it’s worth noting that those wins haven’t necessarily established the Browns as a dominant team. For broader context, Cleveland defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 23-19, the Carolina Panthers 21-18, and the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24. All three wins came by a single score, with a combined winning margin of just 10 points.
At the same time, the Browns have scored just 81 points through four games, an average of 20.3 per game, ranking 22nd in the league. Meanwhile, they have allowed 95 points, or 23.8 per game, ranking 19th in the league. So on paper, the team is certainly 3-1, but there’s still a need for improvement. And Monken knows it.
“I’m human. If you said that’s the way we’d start the season after the way we’ve worked, I would’ve said you’re nuts,” said Monken after a 3-1 start to the season. “And if you said we’d be 3-1 after that first game, I’d say you’re nuts, but that’s a credit to our players because all they do is just work. They didn’t blink. That week after was a little chippy, and that was a good thing. They were not happy with the way we played, and sometimes, that’s good.”
Meanwhile, the Jets started the season on a positive note, but then faced three consecutive losses. At the same time, New York is also entering Week 5 without key offensive players. Running back Breece Hall was ruled out with a quadriceps injury, while wide receiver Adonai Mitchell will miss the matchup due to a finger injury.
That said, while Cleveland’s wins have been close and its offense remains a work in progress, a win over the Jets could strengthen the case that head coach Todd Monken is building something different. While a defeat would raise questions about whether the early momentum is sustainable.
