CLEVELAND — The team that does not specialize in applying pressure via the blitz changed things up and that made all the difference.
“I mean, they switched up the game plan,” Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson said Sunday, after he finally picked himself up off the turf after a hard day’s work at Huntington Bank Field.
The Giants sacked Watson eight times and hit him 17 times, severe punishment that had Browns fans booing and jeering as the Giants went on the road and notched their first victory of the season, 21-15.
Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen is not known for heavy blitz packages, preferring to rely on establishing pressure up front with his four defensive linemen.
The Browns started out double-teaming both edge players, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Bowen adjusted by sending pressure up the middle, where Dexter Lawrence was dominating anyway.
“We knew there would be opportunities to get home because he’s a dynamic player, he looks for the big play, he likes to extend play,” Burns said. “We just kept in our minds to stay relentless and stay in the rush and that’s kind of what we did.”
Lawrence led the charge with two sacks and nine different players had their hands on the eight sacks.
Watson did not help himself by holding onto the ball far too long, at times seemingly unaware where the rush was coming from.
Burns blew by left tackle Dawand Jones on a strip-sack late in the second quarter, recovered by rookie Elijah Chatman, leading to a Giants touchdown with 11 seconds remaining in the first half.
Chatman, an undrafted rookie from SMU, notched his first NFL sack in the first quarter.
“It’s kinda just instinct when you’re coming around the edge,’’ Burns said of his strip-sack. “I felt like he was getting ready to wind up and I just waited a little bit and aimed for his arm, got the ball out.’’
Burns was listed as questionable going into the game, added to the injury report late last week with a groin issue.
He went through a thorough workout prior to the game.
“I kind of always felt like I was going to play,’’ Burns said. “I’m not going to play until I really just can’t play.’’
Rookie WR Malik Nabers (8-78, 2 TDs) became the first player in NFL history with 20 receptions and three touchdown receptions in his first three games.
“Just hard work,’’ Nabers said. “Dabes [coach Brian Daboll] cooking up a lot of plays for me, the offense trusting me to get that done. It shows how much we want to be an explosive offense and I’m a key factor in that offense.’’
Rookie CB Dru Phillips has been one of the top players on defense but he went out in the first quarter with a calf injury.
A calf injury also sidelined CB Adoree’ Jackson in the second half.
The Giants got beat up a bit, with LB Micah McFadden (back) and WR Darius Slayton (thumb) both forced out in the second half.
McFadden was able to return.
Starting CB Nick McCloud (knee) was unavailable for the second consecutive game.
The other inactives were S Anthony Johnson, CB Tre Hawkins, OLB Benton Whitley, OLB Boogie Basham and G Jake Kubas.