By Lyle Fitzsimmons, NFL Contributing Editor

(Sports Network) - Just when it seemed safe to go back into the NFL section of your local sports pages, the New York Jets have reasserted their status as a 2006 must-read.

Only two weeks back, it seemed that the cute little "we're not as bad as everyone thought we'd be" team had been returned to the four-win insignificance of a year ago with a humbling 41-0 loss at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

From there, it seemed the Jets would win some, lose some more, and generally work their way toward the 4-5-6 win season that most had forecasted in the preseason.

But it's not quite gone according to script.

Instead of plunging back to sub-mediocrity, New York has responded with its two best four-quarter performances of the season, taking early leads and holding on for consecutive home wins over Miami and Detroit.

The surprises have even prompted national media members to notice the swamp- side uprising in North Jersey, with some even breathlessly beginning to include the Jets in the multi-team mix for the AFC's half-dozen available playoff berths.

At 4-3, the team sits 1 games behind front-running New England in the conference's East Division, and just one-half game in back of wildcard leaders San Diego and Baltimore - each 4-2 - with a bye upcoming next week.

Meanwhile, the Browns remain the Browns.

Cleveland plunged to an inglorious 1-5 with last week's 17-7 home loss to Denver, then began a tumultuous week of NYJ preparation with the resignation of offensive coordinator Maurice Carthon, a former Jets assistant.

The Browns have scored just 88 points through six games - exceeding 20 just one time - and are last in the NFL in total offense with an anemic average output of 245.2 yards per game.

Running back Reuben Droughns was symbolic of Cleveland's flat line against the Broncos, gaining just 33 yards on 12 carries against his former team, for which he had gained 1,240 yards in 2004 before heading to Ohio.

"It was very disappointing for me," said Droughns, who churned out 1,232 yards for the Browns last season but has just 257 yards and a 3.2-yard per carry average so far in 2006. "I wanted to get (the) win. It was important to me and we didn't come through."

Cleveland is last in the four-team AFC North, three-and-half games behind co- leaders Baltimore and Cincinnati.

SERIES HISTORY

Cleveland holds a 10-7 advantage in its all-time series with the Jets, but was a 10-7 home loser when the teams last met, in Week 11 of the 2004 season. The Browns had prevailed in the two previous meetings, in 2002 on the road and in 1994 at home.

In addition to the regular season series, the teams played a memorable postseason game, with Cleveland scoring a 23-20 overtime win at home in a 1986 AFC Divisional Playoff.

The Jets' Eric Mangini and Browns' Romeo Crennel will be meeting one another as head coaches for the first time. The two served on Bill Belichick's staff with the Patriots from 2001 through 2004, with Mangini taking over defensive coordinator duties after Crennel was hired by the Browns in 2005.

JETS OFFENSE VS. BROWNS DEFENSE

A key factor in the surprise start for the Jets has been the health of starting quarterback Chad Pennington, who's bounced back from a second major shoulder injury to throw for 1,450 yards - second in the AFC - and nine touchdowns.

The former Marshall University standout has completed 125-of-190 passes and is the conference's fifth-rated passer with a 91.3 QB rating. The Jets are 20-8 when Pennington has a single-game rating of 90.0 or better.

Rookie Leon Washington, a third-round draft pick from Florida State, exceeded 100 yards on the ground for the second time in three weeks against the Lions, and scored two touchdowns in a game for the first time.

He has 346 yards on 71 carries for the season, and has gone for 288 on 54 carries - a 5.3-yard average per carry - in the last three games.

Backfield mate Kevan Barlow, brought over from San Francisco shortly before the season, has turned into a red-zone specialist. He scored his fifth touchdown last week, marking the third season in four that he's scored at least five times.

The five TDs are tied for third in the league in 2006.

Wide receiver Laveranues Coles has tipped the Moss-for-Coles trade-bashers back in his direction with 42 catches and 566 yards through seven games, both second in the AFC.

The catch total is the highest for a Jets player through seven games since Al Toon's 43 in 1986. Coles has scored three touchdowns and has a 13.5-yard average per reception.

As a group, the offense is averaging 307.9 yards per game.

On the always crowded New York report, Coles is listed as questionable with a calf injury, fellow wideout Tim Dwight is questionable with a thigh injury, and running back B.J. Askew is questionable with a foot injury.

The Browns' more successful unit took an injury hit against the Broncos when cornerback Gary Baxter hurt both knees and was shelved for the rest of the season.

Baxter, who signed a five-year free agent deal before the 2005 season, reportedly tore both patellar tendons. He'd already been out since Week 2 after injuring a pectoral muscle, a malady that had kept him out of 11 games last year.

Elsewhere, rookie linebacker Kamerion Wimbley has a team-best three sacks for Cleveland, which has allowed 337 total yards per game.

Linebacker Andra Davis is one of just six LBs in the NFL with two interceptions, a total that equals the team-high of defensive back Sean Jones.

The special teams defense has been another of few bright spots, with the kick coverage team allowing a league-low 19.1 yards per return and the punt coverage team surrendering 5.3 yards per return, fourth-best in the league.

Overall, the Browns are a minus-10 in turnover ratio.

Also banged-up are safety Brodney Pool, who's questionable with a hamstring injury, and safety Brian Russell, who's questionable due to a balky ankle. Cornerback Leigh Bodden and safety Justin Hamilton are also listed as questionable with ankle injuries.

BROWNS OFFENSE VS. JETS DEFENSE

The good news is fleeting, but it does exist in spots for the Browns.

Charlie Frye has been efficient, though not dazzling at quarterback, completing 124-of-201 passes for 1,188 yards. He's been troubled by interceptions, however, throwing 10 through six games, which has sent his QB rating plummeting to 67.3.

He's thrown at least one TD pass in four straight home games.

Droughns has gone for 99 yards three times in his last five October games, and he joins teammate Jason Wright for a combined 83.3 percent success rate on third-and-1 rushing attempts.

Through the air, Frye has connected 33 times with tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. for 317 yards and two touchdowns. The 33 catches are tops in the NFL among tight ends and are the second-most in history by a tight end through his first eight games in the league.

Winslow, however, is listed as questionable for this week with a knee injury.

Speedy wide receiver Braylon Edwards has 22 catches, and his per-reception average of 16.2 yards is third in the AFC among players with 20 catches. Meanwhile, veteran Joe Jurevicius has a TD catch in two of three games and seven of his last 10.

Other offensive injuries include wideout Dennis Northcutt, who's questionable with a rib problem, and tackle Ryan Tucker, who's questionable with an illness.

For the Jets, the defense has thrived on - and depended on - making big plays.

New York is a plus-2 in turnover ratio largely due to a ball-hawking unit that features the AFC's lone trio - cornerback Andre Dyson (3), safety Kerry Rhodes (2) and cornerback David Barrett (2) - with at least two interceptions apiece.

Barrett is listed as questionable for the week with a hip injury.

Linebacker Victor Hobson has two fumble recoveries.

Generating a consistent pass rush up front has been a problem in the team's Mangini-led switch to a 3-4 alignment, certainly leading to blitz-happy Rhodes recording a team-high with three sacks.

New York has been shredded for 372.3 total yards per game through seven.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

This would be the perfect game to debunk the Jets' early-season myth, perhaps seeing them head in overconfident against an inferior opponent and with one relaxed eye on the pending bye week.

Thus, an inept offense and a banged-up defense makes Cleveland the perfect final first-semester test for Mangini's game preparation skills. If the young coach revs the engines sufficiently, a rout could result. If not, a 4-4 break record could be a disappointing result.

Either way, however, one wonders if the Browns are capable of fully taking advantage.

The Frye-led passing game will likely hit for a big play or two with Edwards or Jurevicius, and Droughns may indeed get his yards, but the propensity for mistakes plays right into the hands of an opportunistic New York unit.

Start spreadin' the news.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Jets 27, Browns 17