New Week, Same Problems For The Browns In 21-15 Loss To Giants

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was sacked eight times in an embarrassing Week 3 defeat

Sep 22, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Elijah Chatman (94) sacks Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The return of Jedrick Wills along the offensive line was supposed to be a boost for the Cleveland Browns in Week 3. It wound up being quite the opposite.

A fierce New York Giants pass rush – led by Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux – embarrassed Cleveland's o-line on Sunday, to the beat of eight sacks and 17 QB hits – the second time this season Deshaun Watson has been hit 17 times in a game. The constant pressure left Watson feeling pressure even when it wasn't there, as he made the most of the situation to throw for 196 yards and two touchdowns, running for an additional 26.

It was very reminiscent of the Browns Week 1 performance against the Dallas Cowboys, that ended in similar fashion, with a lopsided score in favor of America's team. There were notable strides taken in Week 2 as the Browns offense was far from perfect but operated more smoothly throughout an 18-13 win over Jacksonville.

Any good will that performance provided for the Browns fan base was undone pretty quickly a mere seven days later. The offensive line continues to be a problem for this team, and making matters worse, the injury bug that plagued the team in 2023 seems to have stuck around for another go around at the Browns locker room.

Star right guard Wyatt Teller exited the game with a knee injury in the third quarter, following a missed 53-yard field goal attempt from Dustin Hopkins – perhaps the apocalyptic sign that it wasn't the Browns day. Not too long after Teller left the game, Wills followed suit with a knee injury of his own. So too did backup tackle James Hudson who took over at left tackle for Dawand Jones at one point in the game.

The onslaught of injuries left the Browns resorting to an o-line that featured Nick Harris at center, usual starting center Ethan Pocic at left guard, rookie Zak Zinter and right guard and 10-year veteran Joel Bitonio manning the left tackle spot. The carousel of an offensive line felt symbolic of the circus-like game Cleveland played.

On the opening kickoff of the game, practice squad promotion Tony Brown II forced a fumble that setup Cleveland at the Giants 24-yardline. In the blink of an eye Cleveland was up 7-0 as Watson found Amari Cooper on a fade down the left sideline. A euphoric Huntington Bank Field thought it was the beginning of a Browns rout.

Quite the opposite transpired from there as the Browns offense went on to produce just 25 yards of total offense up through the rest of the half and the first few minutes of the third quarter.

Meanwhile, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones – believed by many to be an overpaid bust – sliced Cleveland's defense to the beat of 17 completions on 19 attempts, for 174 yards and two touchdown passes to punctuate 21 unanswered points in the first half. New York led 21-7 at the break.

For a moment int he second half it looked like Cleveland, clinging to an ounce of life, was about to scratch and claw their way back into a game they really had no business winning. A second touchdown pass to Amari Cooper and a two-point conversion cut the lead to just six with 11 minutes to play.

Then the Browns watched their final three drives end in a fumble, and back-to-back turnover on downs. The first of those came thanks to a questionable decision from Kevin Stefanski to go for it on fourth down from his own 29 despite having three timeouts and the two minute warning as his disposal.

Even Stefanski short circuited on a day where just about everything went wrong for Cleveland.