Rival Report: Browns pick up another win in the preseason
Guess who else improved to 2-0 during the preseason?
That’s right fans, the Cleveland Browns doubled their win total of the entire 2016 regular season during the NFL’s exhibition period, and while the 10-6 score was indicative of poor preseason play, the Browns too made the Giants look sub human at times.
On Offense
The Browns spent invested a lot in revamping their offensive line this offseason. They brought in J.C. Tretter, formerly of Green Bay, as the new starting center and signed Bengals guard Kevin Zeitler. So it’s no surprise that Cleveland’s only touchdown of the evening came behind DeShone Kizer, who snuck behind the two linemen for the one-yard score.
In addition to the TD, Kizer ran the ball five times for 35 yards and was 8-of-13 for 74 yards. That wasn’t half bad, as Brock Osweiler, who is keying in on the starting job, had zero rhythm. He went 6-of-8 but for only 25 yards, including a pick.
Cody Kessler went a perfect 7-for-7, completing the Cleveland carousel of QBs which is destined to add at least one more starter to their long list of hopefuls who have manned the quarterback position since 1999.
Wide receiver is another oddity with Cleveland, as Kenny Britt hung around long enough to catch a single pass, while Corey Coleman is a lock for the second receiver spot. Beyond those two are as many as six receivers competing for the final spots: and all six are entering their second year.
Running back is less cloudy, with Isaiah Crowell a scratch from Monday’s game, but Duke Johnson showing he can handle the load this preseason as both a runner and receiver, and rookie Matthew Dayes doing the same. In this game, Dayes caught five passes for 29 yards.
Controversy
Where shall we begin?
First, there were a number of Cleveland players who knelt or stood with those kneeling on the sideline during the national anthem. Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey, who led the group prayer, explained their actions:
We were just praying over the country and praying over things going on. We did it as respectfully as possible and we respect everything that happened with things in the military. We respect all of that. We just felt it was the right time for us to do this and say a prayer for this country.
While that may have been a spark in the media, nothing shined brighter than a low hit by Browns CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun on Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr.
#Giants Odell Beckham to the locker room after this hit. He stopped & dropped to his knees before getting to the locker room, too. Bad news. pic.twitter.com/r5j6J0fcyy
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) August 22, 2017
Low hits are often criticized regardless of their legality, because of the injuries which could result from the blow. Beckham laid on the field for a moment, then hobbled on his own to the sideline. Behind the scenes cameras following him into the locker room saw him collapse again in the tunnel.
Odell Beckham Jr. leaves game after taking a hard hit to the leg. Hoping for the best. pic.twitter.com/WQTUGWlZiO
— Climb The Pocket (@ClimbThePocket) August 22, 2017
Turns out he’s going to be okay… but that hasn’t stopped the New York sports media from over analyzing his reaction: was it sincere or was it all an act?
The Browns defense looks hungry under new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. Myles Garrett, the top pick overall in this year’s draft, had one of Cleveland’s two sacks in this game.
The Browns defense is also making plays. Besides taking out Beckham, Boddy-Calhoun picked off a Geno Smith pass, denying the Giants a touchdown. Veteran offseason acquisition Jason McCourty stripped New York receiver Sterling Shepard, setting up the Browns possession which ended in the Kizer touchdown run before the half.
Jabrill Peppers received his first preseason start at safety but looked most impressive on special teams as a punt returner. His first return went for 31 yards while another 36-yard return was negated by a holding penalty.
Aside from those notes, there wasn’t much else to make of the backup performances. The Browns contained the Giants running game and harassed the New York quarterbacks throughout the game. CB Joe Haden was beaten badly on a long pass, which even prompted the ESPN commentary team to question his effectiveness recently.
Conclusion
The momentum isn’t what you want to see from a division foe, but so far Cleveland is showing promise. I believe a large reason for a hopeful turnaround is two-fold: they can’t get much lower, and last season the team cleaned house on their roster. Most of the roster are younger players who haven’t bared the brunt of multiple losing seasons, and the few veterans who are there, have tasted success one way or another (Joe Thomas as a Pro Bowl selection, Jamie Collins with the Patriots).
For those members of Steelers Nation who enjoy their sports betting will want to keep an eye on the line for the opening weekend. With the Steelers going against the Browns next month, it’s probably a good idea to review this experience with Bovada. They may list the Steelers as the favorites, but it’s possible the odds between the two teams could be beginning to shrink.
