Giants turn over ball, give up TD in first 11 seconds vs. Browns
It's just Week 3 and too early to pull a sheet over any franchise for 2024 ... but there are signs. The New York Giants, already a mess at 0-2, didn't even need a single play from scrimmage to faceplant on Sunday. It's tough to out-pathetic the Cleveland Browns given their franchise history, but the Giants are most definitely up to the challenge.
On the opening kickoff, Giants return man Eric Gray made the decision to run the ball out of the end zone — and, 24 yards later, immediately regretted it, fumbling and giving the Browns the ball in New York territory:
Browns kick off. Browns recover the fumble!
📺: #NYGvsCLE on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqGpic.twitter.com/p0E3GRQIpi— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024
On the very first play from scrimmage, Deshaun Watson found Amari Cooper on the left edge of the end zone, and bang:
WHAT A START!!!#NYGvsCLE on @NFLonFOX and NFL+ pic.twitter.com/seNxF7oZUa
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 22, 2024
Yeah, if you're giving up a touchdown and the clock is still in the 14:40s ... you are not a good football team.
Watson's throw was no sure thing; according to Next Gen Stats, it was one of the most improbable touchdowns of the year:
Deshaun Watson's 24-yard TD pass to Amari Cooper had a completion probability of 14.5%, the 3rd-most improbable completion of the season, and Watson's most improbable since Week 16, 2018.
🔹 Air Distance: 39.9 yards
🔹 Sideline Distance: 0.9 yards#NYGvsCLE | @Brownspic.twitter.com/7MXSJkp8S7— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 22, 2024
The Giants responded to that misfire by going three-and-out on their very first actual series. New York has already dropped games to Minnesota and Washington this year. On the plus side, they have almost 60 minutes to make up for their first-play error.
As the game went on, however, it became clear that the Browns may have used up all their mojo on the game's first two plays. New York stomped to three touchdowns before the half, allowing Cleveland to seize that "most pathetic" mantle right back from the Giants.