It’s just Week 3 and too early to pull a sheet over any franchise for 2024 … but there are signs. The New York Giants, already a mess at 0-2, didn’t even need a single play from scrimmage to faceplant on Sunday. It’s tough to out-pathetic the Cleveland Browns given their franchise history, but the Giants are most definitely up to the challenge.
On the kickoff, Giants return man Eric Gray made the decision to run the ball out of the end zone — and, 24 yards later, immediately regretted it, fumbling and giving the Browns the ball in New York territory:
On the very first play from scrimmage, Deshaun Watson found Amari Cooper on the left edge of the end zone, and bang:
Yeah, if you’re giving up a touchdown and the clock is still in the 14:40s … you are not a good football team.
Watson’s throw was no sure thing; according to Next Gen Stats, it was one of the most improbable touchdowns of the year:
Deshaun Watson’s 24-yard TD pass to Amari Cooper had a completion probability of 14.5%, the 3rd-most improbable completion of the season, and Watson’s most improbable since Week 16, 2018.
🔹 Air Distance: 39.9 yards
🔹 Sideline Distance: 0.9 yards#NYGvsCLE | @Browns pic.twitter.com/7MXSJkp8S7— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 22, 2024
The Giants responded to that misfire by going three-and-out on their very first actual series. New York has already dropped games to Minnesota and Washington this year. On the plus side, they have almost 60 minutes to make up for their first-play error.
