The Browns return to Huntington Bank Field eager to record their first home win of the season after defeating the Jaguars on the road last week. A Giants team hungry for their first win of the year stands in their way.
The Giants fell 28-6 at home to the Vikings in Week 1 before traveling to face the Commanders, who beat them 21-18 in Week 2.
As they prepare to face a talented defense led by defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, the Giants are focusing on one player in particular as they look to avoid starting the season with three consecutive losses.
DE Myles Garrett poses a problem for any offense he faces, as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year has already recorded a pair of sacks and eight quarterback pressures after the season's first two weeks.
"[Garrett is] one of the best ones in the league," Giants head coach Brian Daboll said. "They've lined him up in a variety of spots. He's explosive. He's strong. He's powerful. He's got good size. He can run, he takes the ball away. He gets it away from the quarterback."
Giants outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, who had 11.5 sacks last season, said he's been admiring Garrett's game since he was in high school watching the Texas A&M star excel at the college level.
"You either have a lot of talent or you have a lot of skill or you're Myles Garrett," Thibodeaux said. "He's a guy who is a Hall a Famer. He's a guy I looked up to coming out of high school and he's going to continue to dominate the league for a long time."
Replicating what Garrett can do in practice leading up to the game is often a challenge for teams facing the Browns, as his combination of speed, size and skill is unique among pass rushers in the NFL.
"You do the best job you can on practicing with the look team, but it's never the same until you're playing a player like that," Daboll said. "He's a high-level player in this league. He's been for a long time. He's one of the really good ones, he's certainly a challenge."
QB Daniel Jones has been sacked six times so far this season, the 13th-most in the NFL. The Giants offensive line improved over the offseason, adding left guard Jon Runyan Jr. and right guard Jermaine Eluemunor in free agency.
One challenge Garrett presents to Jones is his ability to line up anywhere on the line of scrimmage and wreak havoc on opposing offenses. Schwartz is an expert at pressuring quarterbacks and has a loaded defensive line at his disposal. A talented group of linebackers and defensive backs allows him to dial up pressures without giving up explosive plays on the back end.
"They've got a good defense, got good players at all three levels really, and a lot of speed," Jones said. "We'll have a game plan. I think obviously the pass rush is something we've got to take into account and plan for and we'll do that."
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.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Giants are wary of QB Deshaun Watson's ability to hurt a team with both his arm and his feet. Watson has run the ball 10 times for 59 yards and a touchdown in his first two games this season.
"I think Deshaun is a good player," Daboll said. "They started out fast against Jacksonville last week. They had a 17-play drive. They utilized him in a variety of ways. He can operate the empty game well where he gets it out quick. They use him in the action game. They can zone read him; he's done that as well. Scrambles on loose plays. He's a strong player to bring down."
With a veteran offensive line, the Browns were able to better protect Watson after the quarterback was sacked six times in the season opener. Against Jacksonville, he was sacked twice.
"Up front, they're very solid. One of the bigger teams up front," Thibodeaux said. "They like to move people. They like to move the ball, so we'll definitely have to stop the run and be ready to set edges and get after the quarterback."
The Browns will take on the Giants at Huntington Bank Field Sunday at 1 p.m.
