Notes & Stats: Giants notch most sacks in a decade; Malik Nabers makes history

*Daniel Jones completed 24 of 34 passes for 236 yards and for the second straight game, threw two touchdown passes without an interception. His passer rating was 109.4, the highest he has posted since a 125.2 vs. Indianapolis on Jan. 1, 2023.

*Rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers had another sensational game, with 8 receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns. And Daboll said his best play was knocking down a pass that could have been intercepted by the Browns.

*With 23 catches (for 271 yards) and three touchdowns, Nabers is the first player in NFL history with 20+ catches and three touchdowns in his first three career games.

Nabers’ 23 catches are tied with Anquan Boldin (23 receptions in 2003) for the second-most receptions by a player in his first three career games in NFL history. Only the Rams’ Puka Nacua (30 receptions in 2023) had more.

*Nabers, at 21 years and 56 days old, is the youngest wide receiver in NFL history with two touchdown receptions in a game, surpassing Mike Evans (21 years and 73 days old on Nov. 2, 2014).

*Nabers is the first Giants rookie to score two touchdowns in a game since tight end Kaden Smith on Dec. 22, 2019, at Washington.

*Nabers’ first two career rushing attempts each gained two yards, and the first picked up a first down on fourth-and-one in the first quarter.

*Nabers fielded a shotgun snap and attempted a pass just prior to the Giants’ second touchdown, on a second-and-goal. He threw the ball away when no receiver was open. Nabers is the first Giants wide receiver with a pass attempt since Kadarius Toney at Tampa Bay on Nov 22, 2021.

*Wan’Dale Robinson had seven receptions for 61 yards.

*Devin Singletary rushed for a game-high 65 yards on 16 carries, including a one-yard run for the Giants’ first touchdown. Singletary also made a heads-up play at the two-minute warning, ending a game-long 43-yard run by going down at the one-yard line instead of continuing into the end zone. Because the Browns had no timeouts, Jones was able to kneel down three times to end the game.

*Eric Gray lost a fumble returning the opening kickoff, the Giants’ first turnover so early in a game since Nov. 10, 2013, when Jerrel Jernigan’s fumble led to an Oakland Raiders touchdown after 53 seconds elapsed in MetLife Stadium. The Giants won, 24-20.

*The Browns immediately capitalized on their takeaway when Watson threw a first-play, 24-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper, who secured the ball despite being blanketed by cornerback Deonte Banks.

*Cooper scored just 11 seconds into the game. It was the earliest into a game the Giants have allowed a touchdown of any type (offense, defense, or special teams) since the 1970 merger.

*Cleveland’s early touchdown was the first allowed by the Giants on an opponent’s initial offensive play since Jan. 2, 2022, when Chicago’s David Montgomery scored on a 2-yard run in Soldier Field 18 seconds into the game.

*The Giants had not given up a touchdown on the first play of a game since Sept. 13, 1998, when the Raiders’ Napoleon Kaufman scored on an 80-yard run with 17 seconds elapsed.

*Burns’ sack was his first with the Giants and first since Jan. 7, 2024, for Carolina vs. Tampa Bay. His forced fumble was his first since Sept. 10, 2023, at Atlanta and the ninth of his career.

*Two cornerbacks suffered calf injuries, forcing the Giants to substitute in the secondary. Rookie Dru Phillips left in the opening moments of the game and Adoree’ Jackson followed late in the first half. Cor’Dale Flott moved from the corner to the slot when Phillips was injured and back to the corner when Jackson went down. Isaiah Simmons took snaps in the slot and Art Green, elevated off the practice squad on Saturday, made his NFL debut at cornerback and on special teams, where he assisted on one tackle.

*Wide receiver Darius Slayton (thumb) and linebacker Micah McFadden (back) left the game with injuries but returned.

*Lawrence drew a big laugh during the coin toss. As the visiting team, the Giants got to choose heads or tails. The referee’s microphone caught Lawrence saying, “tails never fails.” This time it did. When the coin came up heads, the entire stadium heard Lawrence say, “God damn.” The Giants have had an opportunity to make the heads/tail call 21 times under Daboll, including twice in the playoffs. They have called tails 19 times.

*Kicker Greg Joseph kicked three extra points in his Giants debut but missed a 48-yard field goal attempt with three minutes left that would have iced the game.

*Ihmir Smith-Marsette returned two punts for 19 yards with a long of 16 yards after not returning a punt in his debut last week.

*Patrick Johnson made his Giants debut on special teams.

*The Giants’ inactive players were cornerbacks Nick McCloud and Tre Hawkins, safety Anthony Johnson, linebackers Boogie Basham and Benton Whitley, and quarterback Tommy DeVito (third quarterback).