Browns vs. Giants: Full Report Card Grades for Cleveland
The New York Giants punted nine times during Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns, and yet the Giants still managed to defeat the Browns 27-13 in Cleveland.
There are many reasons the Browns are now 0-12.
Cleveland's defense did all it could to keep the Browns in the game, and the Browns only trailed the Giants 14-6 at halftime. Veteran quarterback Josh McCown could not take advantage of the fact New York QB Eli Manning had himself an off afternoon, however, and the Browns are now four losses away from finishing the campaign 0-16.
This contest wasn't a complete disaster for the Browns, however, as several young players performed admirably and showed heart while featuring for what remains the worst team in the NFL. The worry, however, is that those individuals played well against a Giants team that consistently plays down to competition this fall.
The Browns won't play again until Dec. 11. Fans of the club could probably use the break as much as the players.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Give Josh McCown a lot of credit for giving it his all and attempting to will the Browns to a rally in the second half. With that said, the Browns probably won't win any game during which McCown throws 43 passes as he did against the Giants.
McCown completed only 25 of those 43 attempts, and the 37-year-old missed open receivers time after time when the Browns were within a score of the Giants. A lack of pocket awareness cost McCown and the Browns on multiple occasions, most notably on the play that ended with Jason Pierre-Paul taking a McCown fumble 43 yards the opposite way for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
McCown isn't the answer for the 2016 Browns, and he likely won't be in the lineup when Cleveland faces the Cincinnati Bengals two weeks from today. Expect Robert Griffin III to start ahead of McCown unless Griffin suffers a physical setback between now and Dec. 11.
Grade: D
Running Back
2 of 10
Isaiah Crowell committed what radio commentator Jim Donovan referred to as an "unforgivable sin" when he fumbled the ball away in Cleveland territory halfway through the second quarter of play. Eli Manning needed only two plays to find the end zone after the turnover.
The Browns are simply not good enough to survive such costly mistakes.
It seemed, during the first drive of the second half, head coach Hue Jackson hadn't abandoned the rushing attack as both Crowell and Duke Johnson earned first downs on the ground. In total, however, the Browns only ran for 58 yards on 21 carries.
Johnson was again stellar in pass protection, as he saved McCown more than once from New York blitzes. Johnson was also responsible for one of the worst passes in NFL history on a trick play in the first quarter when he missed Terrelle Pryor down the right sideline.
No disrespect meant, but Johnson clearly isn't a QB.
Grade: D
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Anybody who has followed the 2016 Browns knows former quarterback and current wide receiver Terrelle Pryor is a special talent. Pryor torched the Giants for six catches and 131 receiving yards, and he was the game's best overall deep threat.
One thing Pryor must work on is running forward rather than giving away yards in attempts to make big plays. Pryor cost the Browns at least 10 total yards by doing this against New York. It may not seem like a big loss, but those yards do add up.
Corey Coleman had a quiet day until he found the end zone in the fourth quarter. When you have a chance, find a highlight of the move Coleman put on New York cornerback Janoris Jenkins to obtain separation during the route that resulted in the touchdown. That, to date, is the best play of the rookie's young career.
Tight end Gary Barnidge had a single reception on the day, putting an end to the idea McCown would look for Barnidge early and often vs. a New York defense that routinely struggled to stop tight ends until it played in Cleveland.
Grade: C
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
Cleveland's offensive line, as a whole, was not terrible against a menacing New York front.
As expected, center Cameron Erving struggled in assignments against Damon Harrison, as Harrison had Erving's number several times in the first half. To Erving's credit, though, he performed well in the second half, to the point one could say he played his best game at the position this year.
That's not high praise, but everybody has to start somewhere.
Tackle Austin Pasztor once again struggled in pass-blocking assignments. One has to wonder if he will switch positions next season after the Browns (hopefully) add depth on the line.
What was already a depleted line at the start of the afternoon lost guard Ryan Greco to an apparent foot injury. Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Greco left the stadium on crutches wearing a boot on his right foot.
Don't be alarmed by reading that the Giants sacked Josh McCown seven times. McCown's tendency to hold on to the ball too long into the pocket cost the Browns yardage on at least three of those plays.
Grade: B
Defensive Line
5 of 10
It's difficult to grade the defensive line of the Browns following today's game.
Rookie defensive end Carl Nassib became a revelation against the run, so much so that one has to wonder if Cleveland coaches noticed something while watching film earlier this week. Both Emmanuel Ogbah and Danny Shelton nearly intercepted Eli Manning, and the combination of Shelton and Jamie Meder won battles up front to prevent New York running back Rashad Jennings from gaining any lasting momentum.
The reason it's hard to fully appreciate the play of Cleveland's defensive line is that New York's offensive line is a mess at the moment. For example, the Giants are down to their fourth option at left guard. The hope, at the start of the game, was that Shelton would be able to make a bigger impact.
We're looking at this unit differently on Sunday night had Manning connected with an open Odell Beckham Jr. down the right sideline early in the first quarter. Remember that before you start to think this unit turned the corner on Sunday.
Grade: B
Linebacker
6 of 10
You cannot mention this unit without first describing what linebacker Jamie Collins did, or more so what he didn't do, with 1:13 left to play in the second quarter.
Odell Beckham Jr. beat Joe Haden over the middle, and the New York superstar then made his way down the right sideline with the ball. Collins appeared to slow down to a jog even though replays showed he had a clear angle to at least attempt to prevent Beckham from finding the end zone, and Beckham ultimately scored on the play.
That lack of effort would get a player benched by some coaches.
Christian Kirksey attacks ball-carriers and makes plays better than anybody else on the Cleveland defense, and there isn't a close second to Kirksey heading into December. He finished the afternoon with 10 total tackles.
It was nice seeing Corey Lemonier back on the field for the first time in over a month. Lemonier had Cleveland's only sack of the game, and he also proved to be a nuisance in pass coverage.
Grade: B
Secondary
7 of 10
The Browns can no longer put cornerback Joe Haden on top-tier wide receivers and expect to win games.
Haden repeatedly failed to keep up with Odell Beckham Jr. throughout the afternoon, and Beckham would've had a 58-yard touchdown reception to end New York's first offensive drive of the game had Manning not missed his target by a few yards.
The New England Patriots used to put Darrelle Revis on a team's second-best WR during games, and that worked well more often than not for New England. That is what the Browns must do with Haden during the final four games of the season.
Briean Boddy-Calhoun played like a shutdown corner throughout the final three quarters of play, and he is quickly earning a reputation for being the team's best defensive back. Boddy-Calhoun did, however, surrender a touchdown in coverage when he was matched up with Dwayne Harris after Crowell's fumble.
The rookie talks a little too much on the field for a player who has given up his fair share of touchdowns this fall.
Grade: C
Special Teams
8 of 10
The Browns need to find a punt returner for the 2017 season.
New York punter Brad Wing miss-hit a kick in the second quarter, and the ball took an odd bounce and rolled past Duke Johnson. Johnson was unable to play the ball on the roll, and it bounced all the way back to the Cleveland 15-yard line. The running back then lost a couple of yards trying to make something out of nothing.
Crowell fumbled the ball two plays later.
The Browns were fortunate to not surrender a touchdown to Odell Beckham Jr. on a punt return early in the fourth quarter. Beckham took the Britton Colquitt punt 59 yards to the house for a score, but a holding penalty nullified the touchdown.
Colquitt responded by yelling something at Beckham and then pointing both hands toward the sky in celebration. You take what you can get when you're 0-12, I suppose.
Cody Parkey made a pair of chip-shot field goals. That's the best thing one could say about Cleveland's special teams today.
Grade: D
Coaching
9 of 10
Hue Jackson has to stop playing it safe.
The Browns trailed the Giants 7-0 with under two minutes left on the clock when Cleveland faced a 4th-and-goal at the New York two-yard line. Rather than go for the score in an attempt to energize the home crowd and players on the sideline, Jackson sent Cody Parkey onto the field for a short field goal.
The Giants found the end zone on their next possession.
Cleveland is 0-12, and these Browns would, statistically speaking, be the worst team in franchise history if the season ended today. Jackson needs to stop acting as if he is in normal game situations. Little about this team is normal at the end of November.
The silly offensive formations that involve seven players lining up near one sideline before everybody returns to their standard positions have to go. They do nothing for an offense that struggles to make plays, and they make it seem as if the coaching staff is out of ideas.
As stated earlier, the coaches must realize Haden isn't the player of old this season. The staff must adjust accordingly two weeks from today.
Grade: D
Final Grade
10 of 10
Bad teams find ways to lose.
It's a cliche, yes, but that's what happened at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday. Cleveland outplayed the Giants in several aspects, but the Browns failed vs. the Giants whenever it mattered most.
The Cleveland offense couldn't score touchdowns when in the red zone during the first half. New York's offense marched down the field with ease after Corey Coleman scored in the fourth quarter to make it a seven-point game. The Browns were good enough to keep things interesting, but they weren't nearly good enough to win.
Nobody can blame any player who feels frustrated after 12 games of a lost season.
Following this latest defeat, ESPN's Pat McManamon wrote the Browns "have to hope Robert Griffin III can come back and provide a miracle." Yes, that's the same Griffin who lost his job with the Washington Redskins and suffered a significant shoulder injury in the opening week of the 2016 season.
Fans of the Browns, particularly those who pay to watch games at FirstEnergy Stadium, deserve better.
Final Grade: D
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