Giants turn over ball, give up TD in first 11 seconds vs. Browns

It’s just Week 3 and too early to pull a sheet over any franchise for 2024 … but there are signs. The New York Giants, already a mess at 0-2, didn’t even need a single play from scrimmage to faceplant on Sunday. It’s tough to out-pathetic the Cleveland Browns given their franchise history, but the Giants began the day most definitely up to the challenge.

Fortunately for New York, Cleveland reclaimed the title over the course of the game’s final 59 minutes and 49 seconds. New York managed to win 21-15, shrugging off an early misfire.

On the opening kickoff, Giants return man Eric Gray made the decision to run the ball out of the end zone — and, 24 yards later, immediately regretted it, fumbling and giving the Browns the ball in New York territory:

On the very first play from scrimmage, Deshaun Watson found Amari Cooper on the left edge of the end zone, and bang:

Yeah, if you’re giving up a touchdown and the clock is still in the 14:40s … you are not a good football team.

Watson’s throw was no sure thing; according to Next Gen Stats, it was one of the most improbable touchdowns of the year:

The Giants responded to that misfire by going three-and-out on their very first actual series. New York has already dropped games to Minnesota and Washington this year. On the plus side, they have almost 60 minutes to make up for their first-play error.

As the game went on, however, it became clear that the Browns may have used up all their mojo on the game’s first two plays. New York stomped to three touchdowns, allowing Cleveland to seize that “most pathetic” mantle right back from the Giants.