QUARTERBACK
-Daniel Jones: 24/34 – 236 yards / 2 TD – 0 INT / 109.4 RAT
Jones added 20 yards on the ground. Against a very good defense (the 2023 unit was one of the best we’ve seen in years), things began ugly and almost fell off the rails. After an early 7-0 deficit, Jones and the offense went three-and-out, followed by a drive that began with an interception by safety Ronnie Hickman on a poorly placed ball intended for Theo Johnson. Fortunately, Cleveland corner Greg Newsome was flagged for a roughing-the-passer penalty, giving NYG and Jones new life. How one responds to adversity often says a lot about their future. With the gift of that penalty, Jones engineered a 13-play, 81-yard drive that ended in a score and included both a third- and fourth-down conversion. That fourth-down conversion came from NYG’s 43-yard line (in the first quarter). Something tasted like “do or die” in that moment. That was a lot of pressure on the road against a very good defense. Coming out on the other end with a tying score was an accomplishment not to be overlooked.
Specifically, Jones played his second straight reliable, smart, and tough game. Putting 21 points on the board in their house against a very healthy unit is no small task. It happened just twice last season. Jones rarely look rattled. Once again, the navigation of a crowded, condensed pocket with two hands on the ball and then completing passes were easy to overlook, but one has to admire considering those have been recent struggles. He was excellent on third down in the first half (where NYG scored all their points). The most impressive throw of the day? A 3rd-and-2 pass to Wan’Dale Robinson that did not cross the line of scrimmage. Jones’ initial read was Malik Nabers (who did get open), Jones hesitated but did not panic (a huge difference) – and threw off platform with almost no hip involvement. The throw was an absolute dart, it was perfectly placed, and Robinson then earned the first down with his dynamic ability. It was such a big boy, tough guy throw with a defender bearing down on him. He made multiple throws like that. Now, if only he can tighten up his deep balls (which have been embarrassingly long) – he can make this passing game something formidable consistently. Jones is moving in the right direction.
RUNNING BACK
-Devin Singletary: 16 att – 65 yards – 1 TD / 4 rec – 43 yards
For the second straight week, Singletary lost a fumble in a big moment. He fumbled once all of last season. He hadn’t fumbled in consecutive games since 2021. The question can be asked, however; is this going to be a problem? On one hand, some will say this is not a back with a fumbling issue because of recent history. On the other? I can point to fumbling issues from earlier in his career (second most league wide in 2021, third most in 2019) and consider the fact he will be used as much this season as he’s ever been. It is something to keep an eye on. On the positive side, he was a menace after contact again and currently leads the NFL in missed tackles forced. He is picking up a lot of hidden production in an offense that needs to find as much as possible.
-Tyrone Tracy got in the mix. Was this by design or did Eric Gray’s fumble on the opening kickoff demote him mid-game? Either way, Tracy performed well in the limited looks. He caught 2 passes for 17 yards and gained 23 yards on just 5 carries, averaging a team-best 4.6 yards per carry. There is an ease to his ball skills as the former receiver is still in just year two of playing the position. His immediate burst is going to be a weapon at some point. There is legit juice with his first step.
WIDE RECEIVER
-The Malik Nabers show continues. If 2024 produces nothing else, we can expect to watch one of the most electric players in football week in, week out. He was targeted 12 times (and now leads the league with 36), catching 8 of them for 78 yards. Two of those catches went for touchdowns, the first of which was an incredibly high-level display of coordination and body control. Nearly all of that production came in the first half and then the Browns shifted Denzel Ward to near-shadow duty of the third-game rookie. That in and of itself is a sign of ultra-respect. Nabers is not only showing an elite combination of strength and explosion, but also the mental capacity and instincts to feel where defenders will be immediately post-catch. The play he made to break up the sure-thing interception on a poor Jones decision was arguably a win-saving play. MVP of the offense in multiple ways.
-Do not overlook Wan’Dale Robinson simply because there is a new main attraction in town. This kid came up big in multiple ways. He finished with 7 catches for 61 yards, hardly an eyebrow-raising line. But four of those catches went for a first down (two were third-down conversions) and three of those were a result of him breaking through contact. His three missed tackles forced led the team. This is the kind of accessory piece that is vital to moving the chains.
-Darius Slayton caught one of his two targets for seven yards before leaving the game early with a thumb injury. Could this be the shot Jalin Hyatt needs? He was targeted on fifth offensive snap of the game, an overthrown deep ball where he failed to separate from Ward and wasn’t heard from again. For those keeping score: 20 routes run, 2 targets, 0 catches.
TIGHT END
-It was a poor game all around from all three tight ends. Daniel Bellinger did end with 17 yards on a catch in which he made a one-handed grab in traffic. But he was flagged for a hold and struggled to stay on his man as a blocker. He and Chris Manhertz, here for blocking-only, need to get more movement off the ball when they are in-line.
-Rookie Theo Johnson, who may be losing some snaps in the near future, continues to lose repeatedly as a blocker. No need for an overly strong reaction, but the facts are facts in relation to game reviews. He is getting his butt kicked. Too often he is winding up on the ground. Too often he is not playing the game with his feet (he got called for a hold). He caught one pass for 13 yards but also dropped one. Johnson’s tape is enough for opposing defenses to attack. He will need to evolve quickly, or he will be a liability to this running game without offering anything more than average as a pass catcher.
OFFENSIVE LINE
-Well, it happened. I actually have a negative game review on Andrew Thomas. In one of the best OT vs DE match-ups you will watch all season, the 2020 first round pick got roasted like it was…2020. He allowed 5 pressures, he was flagged for a hold (which was declined) and a false start, and he allowed a TFL. Jones got hit three times because of Thomas’ man. While I can’t (and won’t) slam him, I was disappointed to see him struggle repeatedly against Myles Garrett. Yes, Garrett is arguably the top edge defender in football and will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. But to be considered the best, you need to handle those players better than what Thomas showed. I did text someone in the media at halftime asking about his awkward walking between plays. I could not tell if he was limping or not but there were a few plays where he didn’t look right. Time for him to wipe it clean and ball out Thursday night.
-While Jones was sacked just twice for a total of eight yards, the offensive line struggled to play consistent football. Jones, ironically, elevated his play to the point where he saved their lack of pass protection a bit. The other four linemen combined for 9 pressures. Greg Van Roten was flagged for a hold and Jermain Eluemunor got called for a false start. Jon Runyan was flagged for illegally moving downfield (albeit on a broken play). John Michael Schmitz started off hot, but his play leveled off in the second half, once again winding up on the ground way too often. Overall, it was a sloppy game from the group. The bar has been raised, remember. This was not good enough.
EDGE
-Late in the week, Brian Burns appeared on the injury report with a, you guessed it, aggravated groin. The football gods have a way of making us laugh sometimes. It’s just a game. Not only did he lead the defensive front with 54 snaps played, he gets the game ball for the defense. Check this stat line out: 3 tackles, 1 sack, 6 pressures, 2 QB hits, 2 pass break ups, and 1 forced fumble. For reference, it was the highest PFF grade of his career since Week 12 of 2021. While that is not the end-all for most in evaluation, it goes to prove this was peak Brian Burns. Disruptive across multiple mediums from start to finish despite a nagging lower body injury.
-Azeez Ojulari broke out. On a day where the defense truly won it, Ojulari was the one that came up with the most high-impact plays proportionally to how much he played. On 28 snaps (19 pass rushes), he finished with two separate half-sacks, 1 TFL, and a pressure. He also recovered a fumble but the two “X” marks on his sheet were missed tackles (one of which would have been a sack). It was great to see the starting group play well, but if Ojulari can impact the game like this we are talking about a different level of week-to-week reliability from the defensive front.
-Kayvon Thibodeaux was quiet, but he did finish with three tackles and a half-sack in addition to a pressure. The tackle he made on the failed 3rd-and-1 QB sneak attempt by Jameis Winston was a result of him not being blocked and he nearly got carried by Winston over the marker. I wish he finished the play better.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
-Not only did Dexter Lawrence continue to lead the way (a team-high 7 pressures, 4 QB hits, and 2 sacks), but undrafted rookie Elijah Chatman got in on the fun. He recorded the first sack of his career, a play that displayed the hard-to-touch combination of leverage and explosion, on a well-executed game up front against the (then healthy) Cleveland offensive line. He added two more tackles and a fumble recovery that led to the third and final NYG touchdown.
-DJ Davidson added a pressure on a pure bull rush, again showing his high-level power and push. Rakeem Nunez-Roches also added a half-sack and pressure as he continues to see a ton of playing time.
LINEBACKER
-Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden are a very solid duo when they are on their games respectively. Okereke excelled as a stay-at-home defender who cleaned up well. He finished with 8 tackles in addition to a half-sack, as did McFadden. McFadden is like the younger, more hyper, more volatile little brother who runs around like he’s on something. It resulted in 7 tackles and 3 pressures, but he also missed two tackles. McFadden’s burst and violence is a notable weapon within blitz packages. He causes the offense to adjust and if these two are deployed correctly, they can feed into and off each other.
-Isaiah Simmons nearly doubled his snap load from week two (and after not playing a defensive snap week one). He added two pressures and 4 tackles, but also 2 misses. Things started to get a little sloppy in the second half and Simmons contributed that.
CORNERBACK
-2023 first rounder Deonte Banks got an up-close lesson to how sustained greatness at wide receiver works. Amari Cooper, the tenth-year, 30-year-old receiver has 136 starts and seven 1,000+ yard seasons under his belt. One of the best receiver grades I’ve ever given out, Cooper is still at the top of his game. His 1,250 yards last season were a career high. He has clearly lost a step or two and Banks is truly one of the best athletes in all of football. The result? Banks allowed 6 catches for 73 yards and 2 touchdowns. Now, it was not a complete loss for Banks. He was in position on multiple completions. His speed and size got him there. However, he had a hard time locating the ball and did not finish. The lack of a developed skill set got him there. These are the speed bumps a corner needs to go over to what hopefully turns into a good career. Banks can learn a lot from this game and the difference between him and real number one, Cleveland’s Denzel Ward, was easy to see.
-Cor’Dale Flott played 64 snaps, the second most in a game of his career. The pressure was on him, as both Adoree’ Jackson and Andru Phillips both left the game with respective calf injuries. All things considered, Flott played well. While he was aided by the pass rush domination and he allowed 6 of 6 targets to be completed, he did finish with 9 tackles, one of which went for a loss.
-With Phillips and Jackson potentially out on a short week, all eyes well be on Art Green. The 2023 undrafted free agent played 11 snaps but was not attacked. Something tells me that will not be the case Thursday night.
SAFETY
-Jason Pinnock and rookie Tyler Nubin both played all 67 snaps. Pinnock finished with 7 tackles, including a sack in addition to two pressures. He was blitzed five times as Shane Bowen was ultra-aggressive in this one. Pinnock as a blitzer is a dangerous weapon for the defense. The burst and length he have gets him to eat up a ton of space in a hurry. Nubin was not tested much but he ended with two tackles. He was in deep coverage often and the pass rush made it almost impossible to test him.
-Dane Belton, who will also have more on his shoulders in the coming days if the injuries at corner pile up, finished with a tackle. He, too, was not tested in coverage.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Greg Joseph: 0/1 (missed 48)
-After signing last week, Joseph blew is one opportunity to truly impact the game. You don’t appreciate a good kicker until he’s gone. This is a problem.
P Jamie Gillan: 7 punts / 51.6 avg 40.4 net
3 STUDS
-WR Malik Nabers, ED Brian Burns, DT Dexter Lawrence
3 DUDS
-OT Andrew Thomas, CB Deonte Banks, TE Theo Johnson
3 THOUGHTS ON CLE
(1) There are bad situations and long-term outlooks around the league. And then, there is Cleveland. One thing I HATE about trading for veterans who are coming up on a payday and/or demanding a payday is the leverage a team loses when doing so (see: NY Jets). We all know Cleveland has been starving for a sustainable franchise quarterback for decades. Personally, I thought they had it in Baker Mayfield, but I never thought his personality was going to mesh well with Head Coach Kevin Stefanski. But after all, he was the first QB to lead the team in passing four straight seasons since 2002 (Tim Couch). Hence, the borderline desperation in trading THREE first round picks, TWO fourth round picks, and a third rounder for Watson. They gave ALL of that AND THEN had to lock him up to a long-term deal. A historic, fully guaranteed deal. Watson named his price because he knew Cleveland had to pay. Again, his contract is FULLY guaranteed and averages a $70 million (!) cap hit the next three seasons. All of that and he looks like one of the worst five starters in the league. I smell a benching soon.
(2) So, what makes Cleveland competitive? The obvious answer is the answer. The defense has been so well put together to complement Myles Garrett, my vote for the best edge defender in the NFL. They hit a bunch of doubles and homeruns in the draft to fill out the back end. They signed 30+ year old, reliable defensive linemen who don’t miss games, and the keep pouring resources into the depth behind them via the draft. General Manager Andrew Berry got fleeced in the trade-and-sign, but the guy knows how to draft.
(3) How competitive will CLE be? In this version of the AFC North, I can’t see them above .500. I actually projected them to finish with 7-10 last season. Who would have thought Joe Flacco would come in off the street and save the day? Like I said earlier, this defense was historically good in 2023. They were 5-0 in games decided by a field goal, almost sure to regress. Their offensive line is already beat up and without Bill Callahan in town anymore, I can already see a difference in Dawand Jones at right tackle. This team will finish below .500.
3 CLOSING THOUGHTS
(1) Remember what it was like to have a pass rush that takes over a game? NYG surely knows what it is like to be on the other end. 36 pressures are the most I’ve ever charted by the team since I began about a decade ago. I did some light research, and it may be the most ever for the franchise. Whether that is the result or not, it was an epic day for the pass rush. It was a combination of talent, depth, and scheme. Sure, the Cleveland offensive line losing two starters helped. But I do question if Shane Bowen watches something like this and changes his approach to four-man rushing as much as he leans on it. The best coaches adapt to results. The blitz-heavy game plan had a huge impact on this game.
(2) The weakest ingredient to the 2024 Giants defense is at cornerback. Starter Nick McCloud has not practiced in two weeks. Replacement starter Adoree’ Jackson injured his calf, as did starting nickel Andru Phillips. I would be surprised if either played on a short week. Dallas will see this and heavily lean into the newly-signed combination of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. While their defense is a train wreck, that offense can still score points in a hurry. This is a significant test for Bowen and this defense. They have an obvious disadvantage to hide, but also an obvious strength to utilize. There will be some chess required here and I look forward to watching it play out in person. I will be there.
(3) Response to adversity is often the key to success in any walk of life, including something as simple as a game like football. Sitting at 0-2 with the NY media already self-proclaiming Daboll is on the hot seat. Fumbling the opening kickoff. Allowing a touchdown on the very first play from scrimmage. Staring a 7-0 deficit in the eyes on the road against a dominant defense. Early injuries to two starting corners. 9 penalties. 0-for-7 on their final last third down conversion attempts. All of this and NYG ended with the win. While it was far from smooth and they should have closed things out better, NYG did something they must improve from a macro perspective if they ever want to get back on track; respond well to adversity. It is a requirement. Next up? Beat the Cowboys. They’ve lost six straight.