SEPT 21 COPYCAT The New York Giants are trying to get a win on Sunday as they face the 1-1 Cleveland Browns, … and maybe their best strategy is to copy the best thing about the Browns.
Right, Kayvon Thibodeaux?
He has yet to get a sack this season… but the expectations for.Thibodeaux in New York’s defensive unit remain high.
How to get to the top?
“You either have a lot of talent or a lot of skill, or you’re Myles Garrett,” said Thibodeaux.“Definitely look at his game and try to model mine after it.”
SEPT PRETENDERS The Pittsburgh Steelers are off to a 2-0 start but are not being respected by some observers.Let's don't count the 1-1 Browns on that list; after all these years, Cleveland knows better. So who is the guilty party? That would be - of course - ESPN.
Despite the positive start , ESPN’s Ben Solak is calling the Steelers “ pretenders .” Solak points to Pittsburgh’s bottom-five offensive success rate, questioning whether the team can sustain its winning ways without more offensive production.He might turn out to be right. But we say the more things in the AFC North change, the more they stay the same.
Will the Bengals and the Ravens stay oh-fer? Of course not. Will the Steelers go 17-0? Of course not. Will this division and playoff berths come down to the wire? Of course.
SEPT 20 GARRETT A GO? Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett remained out of practice on Thursday but still plans on playing through his foot injury when the winless New York Giants come to Cleveland on Sunday for NFL Week 3.Garrett played last week in a win at Jacksonville, helping push the Browns to 1-1. ... despite very limited practice leading up to that game.
“Myles is still Myles,” Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. “He gets a one-on-one and a sack-strip. ... He’s battling.”
No surprise there from the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
SEPT 20 BOUNCEBACK Last Sunday, the New York Giants lost to the Washington Commanders on the road by a score of 21-18. ... and a key play in this game was a fourth-down pass late in the final quarter. ... that was dropped by standout rookie receiver Malik Nabers.
“It’s just a moment I’ve got to put behind me and continue to go out there and catch extra passes after practice,” Nabers said, turning the page to this week at Cleveland. “I’ve been doing it anyway, but just keep on trying to get catches afterward.”Nabers caught 10 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown, making him the 0-2 Giants' most dangerous weapon.
Said QB Daniel Jones: "He expects to make every play. It was a tough one for him, but I know he’ll bounce back. ... It was pretty clear we wouldn’t have been in that situation without his performance and all he had done throughout the game. He’ll be back, and he’ll continue to be a huge part of what we do.”
SEPT 19 ENDORSED The Chiefs are placing starting running back Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve and are moving quickly to add help, as they signed veteran Kareem Hunt - the former Browns standout - to their practice squad.What does quarterback Patrick Mahomes think of a move that some think is controversial because of Hunt's behavioral history?
"Kareem was a close friend of mine while he was here," Mahomes said. "Just being in the same draft class and everything like that. He came to my wedding. Obviously he went to Cleveland, had a good career there, has learned and become a better person and I'm glad to have him back now.''
The backstory: Following Hunt's rookie season, when led the NFL in rushing yards, he was embroiled in controversy over a domestic violence charge. The Chiefs released him. Later, with his charges eventually being dropped, Hunt signed with Cleveland Browns, where he has spent his career since before becoming a free agent again.And now he gets another chance with the Super Bowl champs.
SEPT 9 TONEY IN Former Giants and Chiefs speedster Kadarius Toney is signing with the Browns, per NFL Network.In theory, this could end up “giving Cleveland another playmaker,” as the report asserts.
But the fact is, Toney presently represents a first-round bust.The practice squad is where long Toney begins in Cleveland.
SEPT 9 HE IS? The Cleveland Browns' awful Sunday - a 33-17 Week 1 loss to visiting Dallas - just got worse on Monday, as QB Deshaun Watson is now facing sexual assault charges. Yes, new sexual assault charges.
Seriously ... could that explain why Watson was so awful on this day? Again?
Watson finished the game 24-of-45 passing for 169 yards, with one garbage TD and two picks. His QBR rating was an insanely low 9.4 ... And the legal charges have Browns watchers wondering if a behavioral problem could allow the franchise to escape his albatross $230 million guaranteed contract.
After the game, Amari Cooper - who played with the same lack of zest as Watson -issued a quote."Deshaun is Deshaun," Cooper said ... and we will leave that up to your interpretation.
SEPT 9 NJOKU ISSUE? Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku is being listed as "week-to-week" after sustaining what is believed to be a ankle injury in the team's season-opening 33-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Coach Kevin Stefanski would not confirm the suspicion that Njoku has a high ankle sprain, which would figure to cause him to miss substantial time.It was on the Browns' second drive of the third quarter when Njoku injured his ankle at the end of a 29-yard catch-and-run. He went to the medical tent and then to the locker room.
The Browns called him "questionable to return,'' but he was done for the day as he finished Sunday with four catches for 44 yards.
SEPT 9 WHAT DISTRACTIONS? Which team was dealing with "distractions,'' again?
The Browns lost in Week 1 at home, 33-17, to the Dallas Cowboys ... even though "America's Team'' has spent the summer getting ripped for being "unstable'' and for being "distracted'' (largely due to the now-done contracts for Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb) and for being generally inept under the leadership of owner Jerry Jones.
We sure about that?
When asked about dealing with it all, Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy offered his usual, humorous response.
“We have a little bit of experience with distractions, so we dealt with it,” McCarthy joked.
Yeah, 33-17 means they "dealt with it'' ... and they dealt Cleveland some problems that might just linger, too.
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