Jets Continue Their Turnaround, 17-14

CLEVELAND — The New York Jets were on the verge of giving away a lead for the third time in four weeks.

But the Jets forced Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar to fumble with just over a minute to play Sunday, preserving a 17-14 victory.

“It’s a different attitude on the sideline today,” said Jet running back Blair Thomas, who threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Rob Moore on a halfback option.

“A couple weeks ago, the attitude was, ‘Oh boy, we’re on our heels now.’ But now the attitude on the sideline was, ‘Come on, we gotta go.’ ”

The Jets (3-3), who beat Miami last week, have come back strong since their three-game losing streak, which featured losses to Buffalo and Chicago.

Cleveland (2-3), a second-half team throughout its first five games, scored two third-quarter touchdowns to make it 14-14.

Pat Leahy, however, broke the tie with a 28-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, the Jets’ only second-half points.

The Browns had one last shot snuffed out when Mike Brim forced Kosar to fumble at the Jets’ 39 with 1:14 to play. James Hasty recovered the ball for the Jets to end the threat.

Cleveland held the Jets’ top-ranked rushing game to 76 yards.