First-year coach Joe Judge, another branch of the Bill Belichick tree, is changing the culture of the New York Giants. (Giants.com)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst on the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Browns v. New York Giants
Sunday, 8:20 p.m., in MetLife Stadium; East Rutherford, NJ
Record: 5-8.
Last game: Lost to Arizona Cardinals, 26-7, Dec. 13, in MetLife Stadium.
Coach: Joe Judge, 5-8, first year.
Series record: Browns lead, 26-21-2.
Last meeting: Giants won, 27-13, Nov. 27, 2016, in Cleveland.
League rankings: Offense is 31st overall (14th rushing, 30th passing), defense is 11th overall (seventh rushing, 17th passing) and turnover differential is zero.
Things to watch
1.The big question in New York is whether coach Joe Judge will stick with quarterback Daniel Jones, who looked hobbled in a bad loss to the Cardinals after missing a game with a hamstring injury, or sit him in favor of backup Colt McCoy, who presided over a 17-12 upset win in Seattle the week before. That out-of-leftfield win in Seattle marked the Giants’ fourth win in a row and lifted them to first place in the competitive, yet badly inferior, NFC East division. But the loss to the Cardinals was a cold bucket of water on a once-proud franchise undergoing a culture change under Judge. Jones, the team’s controversial sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft, has been a turnover machine in his short time as Giants starting quarterback. But he makes plays with his arm and his legs and the offense without him is ultra-conservative to the point of being elementary.
2.Offensive line has been a consistent storyline in the Giants’ season, starting with the selection of Georgia left tackle Andrew Thomas with the fourth pick in the 2020 draft. After an 0-5 start that bled into 1-7, a four-game winning streak was rooted in the line’s improvement, which perhaps was instigated by Judge’s increased involvement in coaching the line. At the time, Judge brought in Dave DeGuglielmo, a former associate of Judge’s when both were on Bill Belichick’s staff. This resulted in offensive line coach Marc Colombo, who was brought to the team by offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, having a confrontation with Judge that resulted in Colombo’s firing. The entire event was seen as Judge, a no-nonsense disciplinarian, establishing his authority and earning the respect of the locker room. The line played well for four games until a huge setback in the loss to Arizona.
3.The defense of up-and-coming coordinator Patrick Graham has spurred the team’s turnaround. Graham, another associate of Judge in New England, has the unit playing with energy and relentlessness. Graham has received excellent contributions from free agent acquisitions such as cornerback James Bradberry, linebacker Blake Martinez and free safety Logan Ryan. Added with holdover defensive tackle Leonard Williams and strong safety Jabrill Peppers, the former Browns first-round draft pick, Graham has the defense ranked ninth in scoring at 22.4 points a game.
Did you know … ?
1.The Giants believe they won the mega-trade with the Browns on March 11, 2019, involving Odell Beckham Jr. Engineered by friendly GM rivals John Dorsey, then with the Browns, and Dave Gettleman of the Giants, the Browns received Beckham for Jabrill Peppers, and first- and third-round draft picks in 2019. The Giants used the picks on nose tackle Dexter Lawrence and pass rush prospect Oshane Ximines. Beckham is out for the year with an ACL tear. Peppers has had a small resurgence under Judge and Graham as an in-the-box safety. A corollary of the Beckham trade involved the Browns sending the Giants guard Kevin Zeitler for pass rusher Olivier Vernon. Vernon has been a force of late and had two sacks of Lamar Jackson on Monday night.
2.With three games to go, the Giants (5-8) are one game behind Washington (6-7) in the torrid NFC East race, but hold a tie-breaker over Washington by virtue of the series sweep. After the Browns, the Giants play at Baltimore and host Dallas. Washington’s last three games are home against the Seahawks and Panthers and then at Philadelphia. The Eagles (4-8-1) finish at Arizona, at Dallas and home against Washington. It will be blanket finish at the wire.
3.The Giants lost franchise running back Saquon Barkley in Game 1 to a torn ACL. The team responded by signing former Falcons running back Devonta Freeman. Freeman is on injured reserve and the new feature back is Wayne Gallman, a fourth-round pick from Clemson in 2017. Gallman leads the team with 561 yards rushing, a 4.6 average, and six touchdowns on the ground.
Small world: Tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens was Browns running backs coach and interim offensive coordinator in 2018 and head coach in 2019 (6-10 record) … Offensive coordinator Jason Garrett was an all-league quarterback and safety at University School … Assistant coach Amos Jones (2018), defensive backs coach Jerome Henderson (2009-11) and defensive assistant Jody Wright (2009-11) previously held positions with the Browns … Quarterbacks coach Jerry Schuplinski played and coached at John Carroll and also coached at Case Western Reserve … Former Browns players include quarterback Colt McCoy (2010-12), defensive end Jabaal Sheard (2011-14), running back Dion Lewis (2013), safety Jabrill Peppers (2017-18) and right guard Kevin Zeitler (2017-18).