Embattled quarterbacks take center stage when the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns meet up in Week 3. The host Browns are favored against the winless Giants.
Not only are the Giants 0-2, they made the wrong kind of history in their most recent defeat. In falling to Washington 21-18 on a last-second field goal, New York became the first team in NFL history to score three or more touchdowns without giving up a touchdown but still lose in regulation.
Daniel Jones continues to be the scapegoat, and he certainly has plenty of room for improvement, but he’s not the sole culprit. The defense may not have surrendered a touchdown to the Commanders, but there were seven field goals and this is a unit that’s yielding 163 rushing yards per game.
For Cleveland (1-1), Deshaun Watson has an even lower passer rating than Jones, and that’s not even to mention his off-the-field legal troubles and calls for the Browns to bench him while investigations are ongoing.
The Browns have been abysmal (4-for-29) on third down, but their defense has provided more support. A safety late in the fourth quarter helped secure Cleveland’s 18-13 road win at Jacksonville last Sunday.
Both offenses have struggled to throw the ball, and explosive plays have been few and far between. Pass protection has certainly been an issue, as Jones and Watson have already been sacked a combined 14 times.
Unless one of these offenses suddenly starts to figure things out, this is shaping up to be a low-scoring affair. If that’s how this game plays out, then the advantage should go to the team that fielded the league’s No. 1 defense last season.
All odds from BetMGM. Looking for NFL tickets? Find them here.
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New York Giants at Cleveland Browns odds
How to watch Giants vs. Browns
- Venue: Huntington Bank Field — Cleveland
- Time: 1 p.m. ET, Sunday
- TV: FOX
- Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
Expert picks for Giants vs. Browns
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(Photo of Daniel Jones: Greg Fiume / Getty Images)