Giants vs Browns Recap
Posted October 15th, 2008 by Luke Chandler
It took me almost a day to come to the realization that the Browns did defeat the reigning Super Bowl Champions, and second to last undefeated team left in the NFL. What a victory it was for the struggling Browns, and in the words of Braylon Edwards "…it's a whole new season for us."
The Browns came together perfectly, in their best overall team outing of the season. The offense showed the high powered capability of the 2007 season, the Browns defense was opportunistic and made stops at critical times, and they beat the Giants in nearly every phase of the game. It comes at the right time, as the Browns can use this win as a rallying point for what was looking like a lost season just a few days ago.
The play of Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards, both maligned by every person with a keyboard in front of them, carried the offense while Kellen Winslow was out. Anderson played with more confidence and "swagger," and was distributing the ball well to his receivers. Edwards was able to show off his ability to beat aggressive press coverage, and played more like the dominant receiver of 2007.
The attitude was set by the aggressive play calling of offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinki. Lost in all of the criticism of the offense was that Chudzinski wasn't showing the same aggressive flair as he did in 2007 as a rookie coordinator. He used several new looks and plays, including the trendy Wildcat formation that is sweeping the NFL. Chudzinski called an excellent game.
On defense the Browns had trouble stopping the run, but were able to force Eli Manning into bad decisions. The consistent pressure put on by the defensive line caused Manning to overthrow his receivers, push balls into coverage, and lose confidence. The Browns defense has been hit hard with injuries, but they are currently eighth in the NFL in points allowed per game, and seventeenth in total defense.
Why criticize a win? Sure there was mistakes, but the scoreboard didn't show how much the Browns really controlled this contest. This game was not close.
Game Balls
Offense -Ryan Tucker, ORT: With the offense sputtering, Tucker's return from a hip injury was a blessing. He looked to be in top form, throwing key blocks on Jamal Lewis' second quarter touchdown run, along with Darnell Dinkins receiving touchdown in the same quarter. Tucker brings a nasty streak that the line had been lacking without him in the lineup. He did a good job of containing the agile Justin Tuck, who is arguably one of the best pass rushing left ends in the game. Tucker may not stay at tackle much longer if Kevin Shaffer is given his job back after he returns from a concussion, but in that case Tucker likely moves back to right guard.
Defense -Brandon McDonald, CB: While his first full season as a starter began rough against Terrell Owens, McDonald has been growing rapidly on the job. He is quickly becoming the secondary's most consistent defender while Sean Jones is out. His ball skills are solid, and he's fearless against receivers of any size. McDonald gave Plaxico Burress fits all game long.
Special Teams -In a game where Dave Zastudil never had to punt and Cribbs only had two combined returns, no one was on the field long enough to hand out a game ball.
Turning Point
When Manning threw the fourth quarter interception to Eric Wright, which was returned 94 yards for a touchdown, it took all of the life out of the Giants quarterback. The Giants had been consistently pushing the ball with the ground game, but down two touchdowns with roughly eight minutes left in the game, that touchdown could have rallied them. Wright deflated any confidence the shaky Manning had built up on that drive, and put a nail in the coffin for the Giants.
Last Straw
No matter how it is sliced, the Browns won. Victories in the NFL don't come easy, and aren't always pretty. Rebuilding the confidence of a team that has been shaken up by the national media is key. Head coach Romeo Crennel is potentially fighting for his job if the team slides into mediocrity again, but they have slowly started to crawl out of the abyss. Let's hope that the upward trend continues against the Redskins this weekend.
Thoughts on the Browns upset victory? Comment.
