NFL
3 burning questions for Cleveland Browns to answer against New York Giants
BEREA — The puzzle that is the Browns season continues to come together piece by piece. So far, though, there are only two pieces of that puzzle in place.
Two very different pieces, it should be said.
There’s the Week 1 showing in a 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. That was followed by the showing last Sunday in Jacksonville, where the Browns held on for an 18-13 win over the Jaguars.
That brings the Browns home for Sunday’s game against the winless New York Giants with a 1-1 record. They also come home with still questions to be answered this week against their second NFC East opponent in three games.
Not surprising considering the first two games, the three biggest questions center mostly on the offense, which has looked completely different in each of the first two games. The Giants game provides a chance to possibly start settling what’s the real answer.
Or, the game could just leave the Browns with more questions. Questions like the ones that follow.
Did quarterback Deshaun Watson start to turn the corner against the Jacksonville Jaguars?
Was it a perfect game for Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson in Florida? Not even close. Was it better than the previous week’s game against the Cowboys? Absolutely.
There was a lot to like about how he played against the Jaguars, starting with the fact he was much more confident in his decision-making process. That wasn’t just in getting rid of the ball — with one rather large exception late — but in when he elected to extend plays and use his legs.
The fact it started early with Watson connecting with wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore on some quick throws helped to put the quarterback at ease. The fact he still hasn’t quite found the connection with No. 1 wide receiver Amari Cooper is the part that makes the overall question very relevant.
Can Watson have success without Cooper being an big part of the passing game? Frankly, no, or at least, not consistently.
That’s all part of the question about which the Browns hope to get a little clarity Sunday, whether it really was a corner turned, or if it’s just turning into a brick wall.
Can the Cleveland Browns unlock more in the run game against the New York Giants?
The running game has been something the Browns have considered central to their offense for the duration of coach Kevin Stefanski’s time in Cleveland. However, through two games, that’s been a struggle at time.
The Browns are 21st in the league in rushing yards per game at 109. They did run better against Jacksonville than they did against Dallas, netting 125 yards on 29 carries, for a 4.3-yard average.
There’s an opportunity for the Browns to improve that number this week against the Giants. New York has allowed an average of 163 rushing yards, which is 28th in the league, through two games.
A week ago, Brian Robinson Jr. ran for 133 yards on 17 carries in the Washington Commanders’ win over the Giants. The week before that, Aaron Jones Sr. ran for 94 yards on 14 carries in the Minnesota Vikings’ 22-point win over New York.
Jerome Ford, the Browns’ leading rusher this season, has 108 yards on 19 carries total. If ever there was a week for Ford, or D’Onta Foreman, or whomever, to finally get going, it’s this one.
How much will injuries to Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward impact the Cleveland Browns defense?
Defensive end Myles Garrett and cornerback Denzel Ward, the two best players on the Browns defense, are both battling nagging injuries. Garrett has a foot issue, and Ward has a shoulder injury.
Neither, though, has any intention of not playing. That was evident against the Jaguars, and it’s not going to be hard to figure out against the Giants.
The question isn’t even about how the two will play despite the injuries, because both played at their typical high levels against Jacksonville. It’s about the times when they’re not on the field, which was a real aspect to the Jaguars win.
Both Garrett and Ward were on pitch counts of sorts in Jacksonville, with Ward’s much more obvious than Garrett’s. It was during those times when they weren’t on the field that the Jaguars seem to do their most damage, such as the 66-yard pass from Trevor Lawrence to Brian Thomas Jr. while Ward was on the sideline.
The Giants, while winless, aren’t devoid of talented offensive players. Rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers already has shown himself to be a rising star, and wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and running back Devin Singletary are solid complementary pieces for them.
And quarterback Daniel Jones, for all of the ridicule he’s taken over the years, is just talented enough to take advantage of a defense if it’s not locked in when it doesn’t have its two best players on the field.
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
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