New York Giants vs. Cleveland Browns: Full Report Card Grades for New York
As the NFL season winds down, trap games are inevitable. While there are a number of teams fighting for playoff spots, there are always struggling organizations that are looking to ruin the fun for others.
The matchup between the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns had trap game written all over it.
Entering Week 12, Big Blue sat at 7-3 while owning the first Wild Card spot. At the same time, the Browns had yet to make a dent in the win column, as their 0-11 had them destined for the first overall selection in the draft.
Just like every other Giants game in 2016, it wasn't pretty. But either way, the Ben McAdoo-led squad walked out of Cleveland with their sixth straight victory as they defeated the Browns 27-13.
In what has become a theme, the offense was inconsistent at best. Eli Manning and his teammates flashed signs of dominance (just look back at the second-to-last drive of the game) but otherwise had a difficult time against the stingy defense of the Browns. After two weeks of moderate success, the running game reverted back to its old ways while the passing game was largely a two-man show.
But for everything the offense has been, the defense has been the exact opposite. Consistency has been their greatest strength, and the revitalized group flexed their muscles on Sunday. For the 11th straight game, the opposing rushing attack was held under 100 yards. And while the Browns receiving corps did convert some big plays, they were limited in the scoring department.
At 8-3, the Giants have a one-and-a-half game lead in the Wild Card standings and are just two games behind the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East.
Would the coaching staff have loved to see their team dominate the Browns? Yes. But a win is a win, and that's all that matters. Let's take a look at how the Giants did just that.
Quarterback
1 of 8
It was a tale of two games for Eli Manning, as the veteran quarterback had his strengths and weaknesses on full display.
On one hand, Manning didn't throw an interception, an issue that has plagued him all year long. He was also rather efficient as he converted 15 of his 27 passing attempts, good for 197 yards and three touchdown passes.
But at the same time, his accuracy was an issue. Manning could've easily put the Browns away earlier in the game but he failed to connect with Odell Beckham Jr. on multiple plays in the first half. The signal-caller, too, didn't spread the ball out evenly. While he did complete passes to seven different players, it was odd that rookie Sterling Shepard didn't get one target on Sunday afternoon.
When it comes to Manning, you always have to take the good with the bad. Fortunately, the pros outweighed the cons and his success helped lead the Giants to their eighth victory in 11 games.
Grade: B
Running Backs
2 of 8
Throughout this season, Ben McAdoo has gotten a long look at all five of his options in the rushing attack. But Sunday's game confirmed that veteran Rashad Jennings and rookie Paul Perkins are officially the one-two punch that will be getting carries out of the backfield.
Jennings, once again, was the workhorse of the pair as he registered 55 yards on the ground over 15 carries. While the running lanes weren't as big as they were in recent weeks, Jennings was able to break out for some decent runs, as his longest rush of the game came in at 11 yards.
Perkins, meanwhile, carried the ball just nine times, good for 29 yards. While McAdoo slowly increases the fifth-round pick's workload, it's easy to see the potential that Perkins has. The UCLA product continues to hit the holes hard, displays elusiveness, has soft hands and has a knack for picking up blockers.
While the Giants have struggled on the ground, help may be on the way. According to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, Shane Vereen could return on December 11 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Vereen's return will be a huge boost in the running game. But as of now, the duo of Jennings and Perkins has done an adequate job.
Grade: B-
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
3 of 8
The Odell Beckham Jr. show was on full display against the Browns.
Despite lining up against the underrated Joe Haden, the star wide receiver had yet another monster performance on Sunday afternoon. Beckham paced the Giants with six catches, which was good for 96 receiving yards and two scores. Sure, those numbers alone were great; but if Manning was on top of his game in the first quarter, the wideout's stat sheet would've looked even better.
While Victor Cruz hasn't seen the targets that Beckham has, it's amazing to see what he does when he gets the opportunity to make a catch. The veteran hauled in just one pass, but once again, it was a big one. As the second quarter was winding down, Cruz caught a 37-yard ball which set up Beckham's first touchdown of the game.
In a play no one expected, fifth-string receiver Dwayne Harris caught his first pass of the season, which also went for the first touchdown of the game. The special teams ace didn't catch another pass.
Oddly, rookie Sterling Shepard had a very quiet afternoon. After scoring a touchdown in three consecutive games, he wasn't targeted once and only made an impact on a 22-yard end-around. Fellow rookie Roger Lewis Jr. caught just one pass for 18 yards but did struggle when competing for jump balls.
Lastly, both Will Tye and Jerell Adams were rarely used. Tye gained just 14 yards on two passes while Adams was primarily a blocker.
All in all, it was another quality game from this unit. So long as Shepard gets back into the swing of things, this group will continue to excel, no matter whom the opponent is.
Grade: B+
.jpg?w=256 "Patriots Vrabel Football")
Offensive Line
4 of 8
For the fourth straight week, the Giants had a different player starting at left guard. Once Justin Pugh went down with an injury, it was Brett Jones, then Marshall Newhouse and now Adam Gettis.
Unfortunately, his inexperience showed.
Gettis, in his first NFL start, struggled all afternoon as Danny Shelton and company proved to be tough opponents. While John Jerry held his own on the right side, up-and-coming center Weston Richburg, too, had some troubles.
In what has become a weekly occurrence, the starting tackles had both ups and downs. Neither Ereck Flowers nor Bobby Hart allowed too much pressure on the edge rushers, but both were also hit with penalties.
Fortunately, however, it appears as though the Giants will get a massive upgrade. Pugh seems to be recovered from his MCL sprain and is expected to suit up against the Pittsburgh Steelers next week.
Eli Manning stayed relatively clean, while the running backs gained 84 yards on the ground. But the line as a whole continues to have issues. The organization hopes that Pugh will bring some stability as they gear up for a playoff run.
Grade: C
Defensive Line
5 of 8
It's getting repetitive for everyone except Giants fans, but it still rings true—the defensive line isn't only worth the price tag, but they're also one of the elite front fours in all of football.
The combination of Jason Pierre-Paul, Damon Harrison, Johnathan Hankins, and Olivier Vernon has dominated all season long. Sunday's game against the Browns was no exception.
Pierre-Paul continues to rebound from last year's hand injury and played like one of the best all-around defensive ends. His stat sheet was full this afternoon, as he recorded three sacks, five solo tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery for a touchdown. Vernon, meanwhile, had himself a game as well. Going up against premier left tackle Joe Thomas, he had four total tackles and one-and-a-half sacks of his own.
While Pierre-Paul and Vernon were disrupting the opposing tackles, Harrison and Hankins did the same thing in the interior. Both defensive tackles had a forced fumble apiece, while Harrison registered nine total tackles and Hankins added one-and-a-half sacks to his resume.
As a whole, the defensive line accomplished yet another collective feat. For the 11th straight game, they held opposing running backs to less than 100 yards rushing. The Browns had just 58 yards on the ground.
This position is the heart and soul of the Giants. As long as they're in the game, the Giants have a chance to win.
Grade: A+
Linebackers
6 of 8
The linebackers had a very tall task on Sunday: stop Gary Barnidge. While tight ends have given the Giants fits for years, that didn't happen against the Browns (one catch, 11 yards).
Outside of their coverage, the rotation of Keenan Robinson, Jonathan Casillas, Devon Kennard, and Kelvin Sheppard had a sound afternoon.
Once again, both Robinson and Sheppard manned the middle for the Giants. Robinson helped both in the flats and in coverage, en route to a five-tackle performance. Sheppard had his run-stuffing tendencies on display as he collected four tackles of his own.
For Casillas and Kennard, they kept the running game in check. Working outside of the defensive ends, Casillas (four tackles) and Kennard (three tackles) helped limit the Browns to small gains. The longest run came from Isaiah Crowell and it only went for nine yards.
There are no stars at the linebacker position, but this unit has used cohesion and chemistry to their advantage. Yet again, it was on display.
Grade: B
Defensive Backs
7 of 8
The defensive backs didn't dominate like many expected. Fortunately, however, they did enough to win the game.
Browns quarterback Josh McCown had 332 passing yards through the air, including a whopping 131 to Terrelle Pryor. While the Giants cornerbacks struggled in zone coverage, Janoris Jenkins had a strong game when matched up in man coverage. Eli Apple, meanwhile, continued to be inconsistent but showed flashes of brilliance. Just one play after being flagged for pass interference, the first-round pick nearly hauled in an interception.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie continues to see limited snaps but played well when on the field while both Coty Sensabaugh and Trevin Wade saw a number of snaps as well.
After playing like the top safety in all of football, Landon Collins regressed against the Browns. While he did pace the team with six solo tackles, the second-year safety missed numerous tackles, a rare occurrence this season. Andrew Adams neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed as he collected just one tackle.
It looked like this group may have taken their competition lightly. While they've been strong all year long, they're going to have to take it to another level against the Steelers next week.
Grade: C+
Special Teams
8 of 8
Another game, another inconsistent performance from special teams.
Despite starting the afternoon slow, Brad Wing ended up having a quality game on Sunday. The former LSU Tiger punted nine times and pinned the Browns inside the 20 on five of those occasions. His kicking mate Robbie Gould, however, missed his third extra point in two weeks.
With Dwayne Harris benched as a returner, Bobby Rainey worked as his replacement. While there was nothing of note on kickoffs, the backup running back did muff a punt which led to a turnover. Odell Beckham Jr. got the call after the drop—and while he did take one to the house, it was taken back by a penalty, one of the numerous flags that were called on the Giants during punt returns.
For the longest time, the Giants struggled on special teams. That hasn't changed much in 2016.
Grade: C
.jpg?w=480 "Patriots Vrabel Football")
.jpg?w=600 "Coach Questions Beck's Personality 🤔")
.jpg?w=600 "Steelers Owner Gives Rodgers Update")
