GIANTS FADING FAST
Drop to third with loss to Browns, but still have shot
A crazy week compromised by COVID-19 ended with a Giant dud for Joe Judge’s team in a 20-6 Sunday Night Football home loss to the Browns.
Judge and pinch-hitting offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens, seeking an offensive jolt with backup Colt McCoy at quarterback, took some aggressive red-zone risks that fell flat with Jason Garrett at home due to a positive coronavirus test.
And coordinator Pat Graham’s zone defense with no pass rush was Swiss cheese with top corner James Bradberry out as a high-risk close contact to a positive chiropractor with no affiliation to the team.
The Giants (5-9) had entered with a chance to retake the lead in the NFC East, but their second straight loss dropped them to third in the division behind Washington (6-8) and the Dallas Cowboys (5-9).
Judge’s team still can win the division, with games remaining at Baltimore and at home against Dallas. But last place is still in play, too, if the improved Eagles (4-9-1) win one or both of their final two games.
McCoy made his second start in three weeks for the injured and inactive Daniel Jones (ankle/hamstring), and the offense moved the ball early with Kitchens on the headset. But they took their first three drives into Cleveland’s red zone and came away with only three points.
The normally conservative Judge tried to catch the Browns by surprise and take more chances, but his new tactics didn’t produce results.
Judge called a fake field goal on the game’s opening drive on 4th and 5 from the Browns’ 8-yard line that failed. The field-goal team raced into an unorthodox formation, snapped the ball to punter Riley Dixon, and Dixon threw incomplete for center Nick Gates of all players.
The Giants still opened the scoring on their next drive with a 37-yard Graham Gano field goal. But then a failed 4th and short Wayne Gallman run from the Cleveland 6 stalled their third drive for a turnover on downs trailing 7-3.
Baker Mayfield promptly directed the first of two Browns 95-yard touchdown drives for a 13-3 halftime lead, and the Giants never got any closer.
Mayfield (27-of-32, 297 yards, 2 TDs) had all the time in the world to throw downfield into windows of the Giants’ zone defense. Austin Hooper, Jarvis Landry and Nick Chubb all found the end zone.
McCoy made some good throws and didn’t turn the ball over, which was a welcome change from Jones’ three fumbles and one lost in the previous week’s 26-7 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
But McCoy also was a touch late or short on two throws that could have been touchdowns to Evan Engram in the first half and Golden Tate in the second half that were broken up by closing Browns defenders.
It’s unclear if Jones will be able to play next Sunday against the Ravens, but the Giants’ offense has scored a total of 13 points the last two weeks, once with Jones at QB and once with McCoy.
The NFC East looks as if it will come down to a dramatic Week 17, despite the woeful records throughout the division.
It’s Giants-Ravens, Cowboys-Eagles and Washington-Panthers in Week 16. Then the Giants will host the Cowboys while Washington visits Philly in Week 17.
The worst record ever for a division champion is the 2010 Seattle Seahawks at 7-9.
The NFC East threatens to make history.
On Sunday, the Giants again were on the wrong side of it.