CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The 1-1 Cleveland Browns host the 0-2 New York Giants in Week 3.
Here’s what we are watching for.
Trending up – Deshaun Watson showed significant improvement in comfortability while completing 22 of 34 attempts for 186 yards in last week’s win in Jacksonville. Watson scored the lone touchdown for the Browns on the ground to cap a 16-play opening drive. Can he build off that performance and get Cleveland its first win of the season at home?
Catches for Cooper – Amari Cooper has just five catches on 17 targets through two games for 27 yards. This week Cooper made no excuses for the slow start to his third season with the Browns and this could be his breakout game for 2024.
Judging Jeudy – Jerry Jeudy is off to a solid start with the Browns after being acquired this offseason from Denver. Jeudy leads the team with 98 receiving yards and is one catch behind Elijah Moore for the team lead. Jeudy also has the lone receiving touchdown to date and looks to add to his totals this weekend.
Ground and pound – Cleveland combined to rush for 125 yards on the ground last week with D’onta Foreman getting a lot of carries early before they turned to Jerome Ford, who ripped off a 36-yard run on a fourth-and-1. New York has allowed 326 rushing yards through two games so it stands to reason sticking with Kevin Stefanski’s bread and butter run game Sunday afternoon would make sense.
Stacking sacks – Myles Garrett, who is playing through pain in both of his feet stemming from his childhood, has a strip sack in each of the first two games this season and he can become just the second player since 2000, joining Khalil Mack in 2018 as the only players with a sack and forced fumble in each of his first three games.
Be my Nabers – Giants rookie receiver Malik Nabers has 15 catches for 193 yards and one touchdown in his first two career games. Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz compared Nabers to a young Odell Beckham Jr. In Week 2, at 21 years and 49 days old, he became the youngest player in NFL history with at least 10 receptions, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown catch in a game.
Jones-ing for picks – The Browns secondary has had opportunities to create turnovers with interceptions but haven’t been able to haul them in. Enter Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, who is no stranger with his generosity when it comes to turnovers. Jones has thrown 42 interceptions in 62 career games. He threw two of them in New York’s season-opening loss to the Vkiings but bounced back last week to throw for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Even though Jones is coming off a torn Achilles, he isn’t afraid to run the ball and the Giants are asking him to. Jones has carried it 11 times for 47 yards through two weeks.
Last Time – December 20, 2020: Browns 20, Giants 6
Series – Browns lead all-time 27-21-2
Last week – Giants lost to the Commanders 21-18; Browns beat the Jaguars 18-13
How they compare – Here’s a look at how the two teams match up statistically.
Points scored: Giants 12.0, Browns 17.5
Yards: Giants 272.0, Browns 263.5
Rushing: Giants 101.5, Browns 109.0
Passing: Giants 170.5, Browns 154.5
Points allowed: Giants 24.5, Browns 23.0
Yards allowed: Giants 368.5, Browns 294.0
Rushing yards allowed: Giants 163.0, Browns 114.5
Passing yards allowed: Giants 205.5, Browns 179.5
Turnover ratio: Giants -1, Browns -2
Probable Starters – Offense: WR Amari Cooper, LT James Hudson III, LG Joel Bitonio, C Ethan Pocic, RG Wyatt Teller, RT Dawand Jones, TE Jordan Akins, QB Deshaun Watson, RB Jerome Ford, WR Elijah Moore, WR Jerry Jeudy
Defense: DE Myles Garrett, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DT Shelby Harris, DE Za’Darius Smith, LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB Jordan Hicks, CB Denzel Ward, CB Greg Newsome II, CB MJ Emerson, S Grant Delpit, S Rodney McLeod
Injury report – OUT: RB Pierre Strong Jr. (hamstring), TE David Njoku (ankle); QUESTIONABLE: OT Jack Conklin (knee), LT Jedrick Wills Jr.
Uniforms – Brown jersey, white pants, orange helmet
Broadcast – 92.3 The Fan, 98.5 WNCX and the University Hospitals radio network; WJW TV-8 (FOX)
Kickoff – 1:03 p.m. Huntington Bank Field; Cleveland, Ohio
Our prediction – Browns 30, Giants 16