The New York Giants and the Cleveland Browns have been holding joint practices together and will battle each other in Week 2 of the NFL preseason. Cleveland returns home for their first home game of the preseason after defeating the Jacksonville Jaguars last weekend. Meanwhile, the Giants fell to the New York Jets at home to open the preseason.
Sunday’s kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. EST at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, OH. The Browns are a 5.5-point favorite over the Giants, and the total score over/under is set at 35.
What to Know – New York Giants
The New York Giants opened the preseason with a 12-7 defeat to the Jets. The Giants played a majority of reserves in the contest, including many backups at key positions.
Mike Glennon got the start for the Giants as Daniel Jones was kept on the sideline in the opener. Glennon completed 3-of-7 passes for 20 yards before handing the reigns over to reserve Clayton Thorson to handle a majority of the snaps.
Sandro Platzgummer led the Giants in rushing, carrying the ball four times for 51 yards. Platzgummer is from Austria and is in his fourth year of becoming a physician. Running back Corey Clement added five carries for 32 yards in the defeat. Starter Saquon Barkley continues to work his way back from an injury that cost him almost all of last season.
Just for receivers hauled in passes for the Giants in the opener. David Sills V caught three passes for 49 yards, and Damion Willis hauled in the lone touchdown reception on a 21-yard catch. The Giants managed only 163 yards of total offense and 11 first downs.
What to Know – Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns went on the road to begin the preseason slate of games and took down the Jaguars, 23-13. The Browns went to the air early and often in the victory, throwing for 319 yards.
With Baker Mayfield getting the night off, it was backups Kyle Lauletta and Case Keenum who took all the snaps under center for the Browns. Lauletta finished the night 19-of-27 for 212 yards with a pair of touchdown passes, and Keenum was 12-of-17 for 115 yards.
Cleveland’s ground game was non-existent, rushing 26 times for only 41 yards. The trio of Corey Taylor, D’Ernest Johnson, and Johnny Stanton were never able to get anything going against the Jaguars front seven.
Davion Davis caught four passes for 56 yards and one touchdown, while John Kelly and Demetric Felton each grabbed four passes for 44 yards. Thirteen different receivers caught passes for the Browns in the contest.
The Browns’ defense held the Jaguars to only 46 yards on the ground and forced the only turnover of the contest. Defensive back Richard LeCounte III picked off Garner Minshew II late in the second quarter.
The Pick is In
The expectation heading into the second week of the preseason is the projected starters should see more playing time than in the opener. Cleveland has the leg up if the starters see a portion of the action Sunday afternoon. The host win this one by a touchdown.
The Pick: Cleveland Browns -5.0
