Three takeaways from Giants' Week 3 road win over Browns
Devin Singletary (26) of the New York Giants drives for the end zone during the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Cleveland. Credit: TNS/Nic Antaya
1. Burns stifles Browns
Brian Burns, who went through a pregame workout Sunday morning to test his injured groin and proclaimed himself ready to play, made his biggest play as a Giant.
Burns also was closely watched by numerous members of the Giants' staff, including general manager Joe Schoen, and was made active..
The Giants' big offseason acquisition sacked and stripped Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson with 32 seconds to play in the first half. The play gave Giants good field position, which they took advantage, scoring with 11 seconds left to take a 21-7 lead at the break.
“I mean, they switched up the game plan," Watson said of the Giants' defense, which totaled eight sacks. "I think you've got to give their DC [Shane Bowen] a lot of credit for doing something different... Of course we were expecting pressure, but as much as they brought it, you just got to prepare for the worst."
2. Jones finding his stride
Daniel Jones had another good day. Just ask his coach.
“He’s had two good weeks in a row,” Brian Daboll said. “I don’t know, another 100-plus quarterback rating, two touchdown, no interceptions, handled the noise well. Did a great job of not turning the football over.
"Executing, I think we were at 100%, and took the knee at the end. He was locked in and he’s been that way. We’re going to need it from him this week, in a short week. A lot of work to do.”
3. Motor stalls… But on purpose
Usually when players make important game-sealing plays, they head straight to their phone afterward to check in on the reaction. Devin “Motor” Singletary knew not to do that after his key contribution. The Giants running back took a pitch to the right and ran it 43 yards to the goal line and then gave himself up at the 1 with 2:00 left, making sure the Browns never got the ball back.
The play also infuriated his fantasy football owners.
“I know they’re mad at me,” the running back said. “I know what’s coming with that.”
Singletary said he and everyone else in the huddle had been reminded not to score.
“I knew I was going to go down if I got the first down,” he said. “I just wanted to get the most out of it.”
Singletary rushed 16 times for 65 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 43 yards. He also had a fumble in Giants territory early in the third quarter, which turned into Browns' missed a field goal.
“I was sick, but my brothers had my back,” Singletary said of the turnover. “They said they would need me and I was glad I was able to help get the win today.”
Kimberly Jones covers the Giants for Newsday, a beat she first worked in the early 2000s before joining the YES Network to cover the Yankees. She worked for the NFL Network for more than a decade and has been heard semi-regularly on WFAN.
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