Browns start hot, then go ice cold, then keep making mistakes to prevent comeback in 21-15 loss to Giants

What was supposed to be a chance for a clear-cut win for the Browns ended up turning into a disaster, as the Cleveland Browns were defeated by the New York Giants 21-15. Let's get to the full game recap.

The Browns couldn't have scripted a better start to the game. Cleveland kicked off, and CB Tony Brown blasted the return man, jarring the ball loose for a fumble with S Grant Delpit recovering.

Then, on the first play for the offense, QB Deshaun Watson dropped back and placed the ball perfectly up the left sideline for WR Amari Cooper, who kept both feet in bounds for a 24-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead for the Browns.

The defense then forced a three-and-out, which was assisted by LB Jordan Hicks generating a four-yard loss off of a run blitz on second down. When Cleveland got the ball back at the 21 yard line, they picked up one first down, thanks to the defense jumping offsides on 3rd-and-2. The Giants brought the pressure on the next set of downs, though, helping disrupt a screen pass, and then getting a sack on third down, leading to a punt to the Giants' 19 yard line.

On the Giants' first pass play of the next drive, they caught a break. CB Greg Newsome came on a blitz, and then QB Daniel Jones short pass was picked off by CB Martin Emerson. However, Newsome made contact with Jones' helmet a little bit on the free blitz, which drew a roughing the passer penalty.

A few plays later, the Giants faced a 4th-and-inches just shy of midfield and decided to go for it. CB Malik Nabers got the handoff on the jet sweep, and got enough to move the chains. They kept moving the chains from there, and then a 23-yard screen pass to RB Devin Singletary set the Giants up in a goal-to-go situation at the 4 yard line. Two plays later, Singletary punched it in for a touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 with 2:07 left in the opening quarter.

Now it was time for the Browns' offense to try to re-gain the momentum. They began at the 30 yard line after the touchback. On second down, the pressure got to Watson again, and he took another sack for a big loss, setting up a 3rd-and-15. Watson took another sack on third down for a loss of 10 more yards, and a punt to end the quarter.

The Giants opened the second quarter at their own 37 yard line. Cleveland forced a three-and-out, but with the good starting field position, they were able to punt the ball down to the 18 yard line. It looked dire again facing a 3rd-and-10, but Cooper was open for a catch-and-run to move the chains. A pass interference call against the defense on Cooper then moved the ball close to midfield.

A couple plays later, an intentional ground penalty on Watson after he faced more pressure killed the drive with a 3rd-and-22. Cleveland picked up a few yards to set up the punt, which P Corey Bojorquez got to the 7 yard line. With the Giants backed up, LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah forced a 1-yard loss on the first down carry. On second down, Cleveland missed a tackle, helping set up a 3rd-and-2 for the Giants. Cleveland couldn't make the tackle in the flat on third down again, making Newsome miss for a first down.

The Giants continued with their positive yardage to get the ball toward midfield. A third down completion to Nabers then moved the ball past midfield. After that, Jones lofted a ball up the sideline that Emerson has scouted for an interception, but Nabers ripped the ball away for an outstanding catch to gain 28 yards.

The Giants then went quick and completed another 10 yard pass to set up a 1st-and-goal from the 3 yard line at the two-minute warning. On 3rd-and-goal, Jones had time and Nabers beat Emerson to the corner for a touchdown to give the Giants a 14-7 lead with 1:44 remaining in the half.

Cleveland's offense had a chance to respond with a two-minute drive. They picked up one first down with a quarterback sneak on fourth down, but then when Watson came back out, he was sacked by DE Brian Burns and fumbled, with the Giants recovering at the 30 yard line and a chance to extend their lead with 0:32 to go.

A quick pass to Nabers got a first down, still with 0:26 remaining. A quarterback draw by Jones set them up with a 1st-and-goal at the 5 yard line. A false start pushed the Giants back to the 10-yard line. DE Myles Garrett jumped offsides to put it right back to the 5 yard line. Jones ripped a pass to Nabers over the middle for a touchdown, putting the Giants up 21-7 heading into the half.

The Browns were out-gained in yards 218-42 in the first half, and were nearly doubled in time of possession.

The second half continued bad for the offense, as Watson threw an incomplete pass on first down with no pressure, and then was sacked on the second play for a loss of two yards. On 3rd-and-12, Watson was nearly intercepted by Burns against WR Jerry Jeudy. The punt unit came out, with the Giants being back at the 18 yard line and the defense needing redemption.

Jones started with two quick completions to get the ball out near midfield. Cleveland caught a break then as Singletary fumbled, with Cleveland recovering at the Giants' 45 yard line. After a 3rd-and-8, Watson scrambled up the middle to pick up a first down to the 30 yard line. On the next play, Watson had WR Elijah Moore open up the seam, but he either overthrew him or there was a miscommunication. On second down, Watson's pass for an open Cooper underneath was high — terrible ball placement — nearly leading to a pick. On 3rd-and-10, Watson was sacked for a five yard loss.

Cleveland sent K Dustin Hopkins out for a 53-yard field goal, and then he missed wide left — his first miss from beyond 50 in his last ten attempts, keeping it at 21-7 and giving the ball back to the Giants at their own 43 yard line. The defense forced another stop and punt, and Cleveland's offense was grinding for a couple of first downs. But then another negative play struck, as Watson was sacked for an 8-yard loss. A stoppage in time happened after that as LT Jedrick Wills was down and injured, this coming after RG Wyatt Teller was ruled out with a knee injury prior to the series beginning. RT James Hudson, who was in for the hurt OT Dawand Jones, also exited with an injury.

A dump off set up 3rd-and-8 from midfield. Watson took awhile and had his arm hit as he tried to throw, resulting in an incomplete pass and another punt, this time down to the 5 yard line. The defense couldn't take advantage, as they allowed an immediate first-down run. A few plays later, a sack by DE Ogbo Okoronkwo set up a 3rd-and-16, and the Giants just ran a run play to set up a punt near the end of the third quarter.

Cleveland began their next drive at the 21 yard line, having very little margin for error given the game situation. A screen pass to RB Jerome Ford gained 24 yards to get out to midfield. A hold on the offensive line, followed by a quick pass, set up 2nd-and-15 from the 50 yard line heading into the fourth quarter.

Two incomplete passes was the formula for the Browns' offense, leading to another punt. This time, the Giants nearly made a turnover, as Jones threw a wobbler from his end zone that the Browns should have picked off. They still punted after the three-and-out, with taking over at the Giants' 49 yard line.

A 5-yard pass to begin the drive was followed by Ford spinning and breaking tackles to get a first down. A broken-looking play somehow led to a big run by Watson, getting down to the 18 yard line. Watson then zipped a pass to Jeudy to set up a 1st-and-goal at the 6 yard line. Off of the playaction fake, Watson threw the slant to Cooper for the touchdown, cutting the game to 21-13. They then decided to go for two, and Watson found Jeudy on the quick hitter to make it a 21-15 game with 11:33 to go in the game.

The Browns' defense came through again with another shutdown series in the second half, forcing a punt that sailed to the end zone for a touchback. Cleveland's offense hit the field again, with a chance to re-gain the lead if they can get a touchdown, having 9:53 remaining in the game.

Cleveland's momentum seemed to be continuing, with strong runs by Ford, and another great catch by Cooper along the boundary, into Giants territory. Then, inexplicably, the Browns botched a quarterback-running back exchange, leading to a fumble and a recovery by the Giants.

New York got a pass to Nabers and a run by Singletary for a first down, approaching field goal range. The defense then faced a pivotal 3rd-and-8 from the 40 yard line. The quick slant was too far in front, leading to decision time. It was a quick decision, as Brian Daboll sent out the punt unit. P Jamie Gillan had his punt go into the end zone again for another touchback.

Cleveland's offense came back on the field, but now with under six minutes to go. After a 3rd-and-1, they brought QB Jameis Winston in for the quarterback sneak, but it was stuffed for no gain. On 4th-and-1, in Giants territory, Cleveland had to go for it. Watson came back out, faked a handoff, didn't throw it, and then tried to scramble. He was stopped for no gain and a turnover on downs.

Now with under four minutes to go and just two timeouts, Cleveland needed to hope for a field goal miss or a turnover in order to have any chance of coming back. The defense stopped the run on second down for a nice loss, setting up 3rd-and-14 back at the 34 yard line. The Giants got it back to the 29 yard line to set up a field goal attempt by new K Greg Joseph from 48 yards out. Joseph MISSED it, and the Browns' offense had new life, coming back on the field with 3:00 left and no timeouts at their own 38 yard line. A few plays later, on 4th-and-5, though, WR Cedric Tillman couldn't hang on to the hot pass, resulting in a turnover on downs.

Singletary took the next handoff for the Giants and broke free, sliding down at the 1 yard line to seal the game with kneeldowns after the two-minute warning.

The Browns now fall to 1-2 on the season, with a boatload of people to blame this week. Imagine how different the game could've been if the roughing the passer call didn't happen on Newsome? Or if Watson didn't fumble at the end of the first half? Or if the quarterback-running back exchange didn't fumble? Or if Cooper didn't get hurt before the final play? The defense pitched a second-half shutout, which is what I expected the game to be — taken over by the defense. The Giants deserve credit for their first half efficiency, but that is something they rarely sustain to that degree.

Up next, the Browns travel to Las Vegas to take on the Raiders.

Quick Hitters