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 leaves his mark
Brian Burns made his biggest play as a Giant just before halftime.
The edge rusher, acquired in a trade with the Panthers during the offseason, sacked and stripped Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson with 32 seconds remaining in the first half. The fumble was recovered by rookie Elijah Chatman and gave the Giants good field position, which they took advantage of.
Daniel Jones found rookie Malik Nabers wide-open in the end zone with 11 seconds left to give the Giants a 21-7 lead at the break.
Burns went through an extensive pregame workout on Sunday morning in Cleveland to test his injured groin and proclaimed himself ready to play.
Burns, who was closely watched by numerous members of the Giants’ staff, including general manager Joe Schoen, was declared active.
“I mean, they switched up the game plan,” Watson said of the Giants’ defense, which had 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
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 touchdowns, 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 . . . 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 running back took a pitch to the right and ran 43 yards before giving himself up at the 1-yard line with 2:00 left to make sure the Browns never got the ball back.
The play infuriated his fantasy football owners.
“I know they’re mad at me,” he 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 that turned into a missed 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.”
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.
