Cleveland Browns: 3 keys to victory vs. New York Giants

The Cleveland Browns match up well with the struggling Giants

Its nice holiday gift to play the New York Giants just six days after the Cleveland Browns lost a thrilling game on Monday night. But the Giants are no push over and the Browns will have to execute in several areas to win their tenth game.

Despite the difference in the teams’ records this game has playoff implications on both sides, Cleveland trying to secure a wild card berth and possibly still win the division and New York js trying to win the worst division in the NFL.

The defense was sloppy last week and has good chance to put up a better performance against a Giants offense that looked terrible in their last game. Its no secret who the better team has been this season but the Giants have shown they are capable of beating good teams.

3. Win the turnover battle

This is a message directed more at the Browns defense even though we’ve seen the offense be prone to mistakes, but a lot less in recent weeks led by Baker Mayfield who is playing out his mind. The Giants are a different story however, they have multiple turnovers in six games and have at least one giveaway in every game this season.

Cleveland has the ability to get after a quarterback and Myles Garrett has been all over the ball, sometimes he doesn’t even touch the quarterback and still knocks the ball free. The secondary will get a boost as they get back their best player Denzel Ward from injury.

New York is ranked 24th in giving the ball away but rank in seventh is forcing turnovers so it will be important for the Browns to continue to play mistake free football against a Giants defense that is better than they get credit for.

2. Get pressure on Daniel Jones (or Colt McCoy)

This observation is based off the Giants last game versus the Arizona Cardinals and Daniel Jones’ career thus far. In almost two seasons Jones has thrown 21 interceptions and and fumbled 28 times including ten times this year.

He has shown to be mobile but he suffered a hamstring injury two weeks ago that looked pretty serious but it only caused him to miss one game. Last week he returned against the Cardinals and he clearly wasn’t healthy because he couldn’t move in the pocket at all and his great running ability was non-existent.

New York surrendered eight sacks to Arizona including five to Haason Reddick who is good, but he is no where near the level of player as of Myles Garrett so a huge game could be in store. Not to mention that Olvier Vernon has been playing like a man on a mission these past few weeks.

If Cleveland is on their game Jones will give them the ball and then its up to the offense to score points of those turnovers. Hopefully the Browns defense is on high alert. With the return of Ward who is as a hawk and the pressure the front four can apply by alone Jones could be in for a long Sunday night.

Note: Jones is listed as questionable so Colt McCoy could be starting. If so, the same holds true that the Browns need to make him as uncomfortable in the pocket as possible.

1. Look for big plays on offense

This has been an underestimated and underutilized threat by Cleveland this season which is surprising for a team that runs the ball so well. Usually teams pound the ball and then look to take big shots downfield, the Browns have been slowed down in this area due to the injury to Odell Beckham Jr and lack of other deep threat options.

Two weeks ago against the Tennessee Titans, Donovan Peoples-Jones made a splash with a 75 yard receiving touchdown proving that he has the ability to stretch the field with his speed. Another sneaky option is Marvin Hall who the Browns recently signed after he was waived by the Detroit Lions.

It was somewhat surprising Hall was available, he isn’t the most productive receiver but he was a solid fill in and also had his first career 100 yard game in Week 8. If he is activated for the game his blazing speed could give this offense a new weapon.

Cleveland can’t forget to try an create big plays for their best offensive players Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt by throwing them screens and sometimes splitting them out wide at receiver. Run plays can also be big for both of them but spreading out the defense creates holes they can easily exploit.

This game could be full of huge plays on both sides and Cleveland has a chance to make more of those plays.