The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Injuries dampen victory for Browns in preseason
Lee leads defense with nine tackles and helps stuff Giants conversion attempt
Good and bad arise from the Browns’ 17-13preseason victory over the Giants Aug. 22 at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The good and bad from the Browns’ 17-13 preseason victory over the Giants on Aug. 22 at FirstEnergy Stadium:
The good:
• Preseason games are not meaningless to the players trying to win jobs. With starters resting, the Browns backups are now 2-0 in August. It’s significant because depth was always an issue when the Browns would falter in November and December.
Even if they’re going against backups, the experience playing against the Jaguars last week and against the Giants is going to pay off if they are called upon to fill in for injured starters.
• Linebacker Elijah Lee is a backup strongside linebacker playing behind Sione Takitaki. Takitaki is out with a hamstring injury.
Lee started against the Giants. He and Brian Allen, a cornerback whose best chance is to make the roster is on special teams, stopped Giants rookie running back Gary Brightwell on a two-point conversion attempt after New York cut the Browns lead to 14-13.
“(Lee) is going to compete and battle like he always does,” Coach Kevin Stefanski said. “He did a nice job out there today.”
Lee led the Browns with nine tackles. Allen stopped kick returner Matt Cole on the New York 13 after a 15-yard runback following the Browns second touchdown.
• Is there room on the roster for Andy Janovich and Johnny Stanton IV? Maybe. Both are fullbacks, but Stanton played tight end against the Giants. He blocked well and caught two passes for 33 yards.
• KhaDarel Hodge and Rashard Higgins are in a battle to be the fourth receiver. Hodge had to jump and reach up quickly to snatch a pass from Case Keenum in the front left corner of the end zone with Giants cornerback Madre Harper draped over him.
The touchdown, giving the Browns a 7-0 lead, was Hodge’s first since scoring in a preseason game in 2018 while playing for the Rams. Baker Mayfield learned last year he can trust Hodge to get to the right spot on pass plays.
• Rookie Demetric Felton, running back D’Ernest Johnson and wide receiver/returner JoJo Natson are seemingly fighting for two roster spots. Natson appears to be the odd man out.
Felton rushed eight times for 25 yards and caught one pass for 12 yards. He helped Keenum on the reception early in the second quarter by running back to the ball so the defender could not break up the pass or intercept it. The play resulted in a first down.
• Donovan PeoplesJones was targeted only once, but he showed off his athletic skill by reaching behind to make the catch for a 13-yard gain on the first play of the second quarter.
• Malik McDowell is fighting an uphill battle to make the roster at defensive tackle, but he was busy against the Giants with five tackles. One resulted in a sack for three yards. He had two quarterback hits.
McDowell hasn’t played football since 2016 when he was at Michigan State.
• Rookie safety Richard LeCounte sealed the victory for the Browns by intercepting a pass from Giants third-string quarterback Brian Lewerke on the final play.
The bad:
Injuries continue to pile up for the Browns.
• Kicker Cody Parkey suffered a quad injury. Stefanski does not know the severity of it.
Parkey and Chase McLaughlin are in a tight battle to win the kicking job. McLaughlin kicked a 49-yard field goal and a PAT. One kickoff by McLaughlin resulted in a touchback and his other was returned to the Giants 13.
Parkey’s only place-kick was a successful PAT. His only kickoff resulted in a touchback.
• If not for bad luck, cornerback Greedy Williams would have no luck at all. He left the game with a groin injury. Williams missed all of 2020 with a shoulder injury.
• Linebacker Montrel Meander, re-signed Aug. 20 because of injuries to fellow linebackers Jabob Phillips and Takitaki, sustained a torn Achilles tendon in the second half and is out for the season.
• Keenum had a mixed day. He threw the touchdown pass to Hodge, but was late on what should have been a touchdown pass to Higgins two players earlier.
Keenum made a bad decision on a pass intended for Jordan Franks in the end zone in the second quarter. Quincy Wilson picked it off for the Giants. “(Keenum) did a nice job operating,” Stefanski said. “Did not like that interception down there in the red zone — we can’t do that, and he should not do that. He knows that. We have to take better care of the ball, but he had obviously some nice plays. That throw to Hodgey was outstanding — a great catch, great throw.”
Keenum played three series before Kyle Lauletta, as planned, took over as quarterback. Keenum was 9-of-12 for 74 yards with one touchdown and one pick. He was sacked twice.
• Robert Jackson should not buy any green bananas. The third-year cornerback was called for two personal foul facemask penalties and pass interference in the end zone on the same drive. He did not play well against the Jaguars last week.
• Rookie James Hudson played left tackle and right tackle vs. the Giants. He was called for a false start and gave up a sack as the left tackle in the first half. He played better at right tackle in the second half.