3 observations from Cleveland Browns vs New York Giants
In a tight Sunday game, the Cleveland Browns defeated the New York Giants to get their second straight win during the preseason.
No team used their starting quarterback on Sunday, so it's tough to grasp any important offensive information. Still, the game provided plenty of opportunities for players hoping to make a last-ditch impact to grab a spot in the 53-man roster.
The teams had been practicing together over the last week, so this game was always going to be a little more quiet than usual. Nevertheless, here are our three observations from the game:
#1 Devontae Booker shines
Since the Giants signed Booker to their roster, it seems they are much more confident in the player than basically everybody else. Jason Garrett, the offensive coordinator, spoke glowingly of the player during an interview during the week:
“We think he’s a good player,” Garrett said. “When he’s gotten opportunities as a runner, as a pass receiver, as a protector during his career, he’s done a good job ... He’s just one of those guys you want to see play, and we’re comfortable putting him in any situation right now.”
Booker had 40 scrimmage yards and one touchdown over eight touches, being an important part of the Giants' offense. He won't take snaps off a healthy Saquon Barkley, but he can still be useful whenever Barkley needs a breather.
#2 Confidence in the Giants' offensive line growing
After many dreadful years with Dave Gettleman building the group, the offensive line has been a major concern for the team with Daniel Jones at the helm. Even though he has an interesting mobility, it's never good for a team to see its franchise quarterback taking hit after hit.
Training camp had a weird moment when backup linemen for the Giants retired in early August, so talent and depth were both problems. After two games, New York fans can at least feel a little less confident after two good pass protection games.
#3 Browns keep winning games through the ground
With 163 yards on the ground over 25 plays, the Browns kept running and running over a Giants' defense that couldn't stop them from doing so through the middle of the defensive line.
A powerful ground game was the tone for Kevin Stefanski's offense in 2020, and it looks like he's committing to the same in 2021 too. Using the same principles as Mike Shanahan's offense in the late 90's, look for the Cleveland Browns to keep running the football down the opponent in a successful way, just like they did on Sunday.