The last time Browns QB Deshaun Watson and Giants DT Dexter Lawrence shared a football field, they were treated with an orange and purple confetti shower after Clemson beat Alabama in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship.
Watson had nearly 4,600 passing yards and 50 total touchdowns his final collegiate season, finishing second to QB Lamar Jackson for the Heisman Trophy. Lawrence, just a freshman, had seven sacks and was voted the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Now, the two will meet once again on the gridiron, but this time as opponents.
"Big Dex, that's my dog," Watson said. "He's gonna talk a lot of junk, but he just creates a lot of problems up front. And a lot of times, you got to get two guys on him because for me, I think he's gotten more athletic than he was in Clemson, which is crazy."
Lawrence's accomplishments in the NFL would support Watson's claim. The defensive tackle is a two-time Pro Bowler and had 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss last season, finishing ninth in voting for the NFL AP Defensive Player of the Year.
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the New York Giants at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) and Cornerback Tony Brown (38) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Linebacker Luiji Vilain (98) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive tackle James Hudson III (66) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Tight end Geoff Swaim (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
`51 during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Tony Brown (38) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Royce Freeman (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Michael Barrett (48) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Long snapper Charley Hughlett (47) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Tight end Jordan Akins (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Michael Barrett (48) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive tackle Siaki Ika (62) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Tight end Blake Whiteheart (86) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Tight end Jordan Akins (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive tackle Jowon Briggs (97) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Linebacker Luji Vilain (98) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Tight end Cameron Latu (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver Jaelon Darden (16) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Tight end Geoff Swaim (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Wide receiver Michael Woods II (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Paired with outside linebackers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, who had eight sacks and 11.5 sacks last season, respectively, the Giants boast a pass rush that will need to be kept at bay if the Browns are to win on Sunday.
"They've got a great front that puts a lot of pressure on not only in the pass game, but the run game as well, both inside and outside," offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey said. "So up there really kind of forces you to have to be physical, forces you to have to play well up front."
In the first two weeks of the season, the Giants have tallied six sacks, the thirteenth-most in the NFL, and have generated a 35.9 percent pressure rate, the ninth-best in the NFL.
To set Watson and the passing game up for success, establishing the run will be an important factor for the Browns.
"I think at the end of the day, you always want to be able to run the football," Dorsey said. "You always want to be able to stay balanced and be able to attack in different ways. Now, every game takes on a different identity. So yeah, there's gonna be some games where we throw it more than run it, and some games we're gonna run more than you throw it. So, every game's a little different in that regard, based off of what you're seeing on tape and how you feel like is the best way to attack a defense."
In their opening game against the Cowboys, the Browns only ran the ball on 27.1 percent of offensive snaps, the lowest rate in the league in Week 1. They featured a more even split the following week against the Jaguars, running on 44.6 percent of plays.
Running the ball against the Giants defense could result in successful plays for the Browns. The Giants have allowed 13 runs of 10 or more yards so far this season, the second-most in the NFL through the first two weeks.
On nearly three-quarters of defensive snaps, the Giants have featured six or fewer players in the box – defined as the area around the line of scrimmage that is usually about 3-5 yards deep and spans the width of the offensive line.
"You would hope if you have a six-man box and you have enough hats for a hat, then you should be able to run the ball," offensive line coach Andy Dickerson said. "They do play shell defense, but they're a really good defense, especially starting inside with [Lawrence], the whole defensive front, their whole defense is coached really well. So, you like the favorable numbers, but you've got to get the angles. You've got to get your matchup."
The Browns have averaged 68 rushing yards per game and have recorded three of their four total runs for 10 or more yards against a light box.
When in a six-man box, the Giants have given up nine explosive runs and have allowed an average of 103 rushing yards per game. Missed tackles became an issue for the Giants in their Week 2 loss to the Commanders, allowing 4.21 yards after contact per rushing attempt. At one point, the Giants had a chance to get off the field on third-and-1, but RB Brian Robinson Jr. ran up the middle before bouncing around to the outside for a 40-yard gain.
"They're going to happen, but we've got to reduce them," Giants defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said of the Giants' struggles against the run. "They're going to happen from time to time, but making sure those missed tackles end up being two to five additional yards instead of 10-plus."
Browns RB D'Onta Foreman knows that, despite the rushing yards the Giants have allowed this season, running on their defensive front is no simple task.
"They have a good front," Foreman said. "They fly around to the ball. [Lawrence] is big in the middle and then of course, you got [Burns] and [Thibodeaux] on the outside. So, I feel like that's the strong point of the defense. But I think definitely if we get going, I think we have some opportunities to go have a big game, a big day in the running game."
