The Browns will look to claim their first win at home at Huntington Bank Field, as they host the Giants in Week 3.
"A 1-1 football team versus an 0-2 football team, but that 0-2 is very misleading to me," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. "They lost at home in Week 1, which obviously we lost at home in Week 1. And then they go on the road, and they play good enough to win and had some extenuating circumstances with the kicker. So, I think we know the team that we're facing."
Here are three keys to the game as the Browns look to win their first game at home.
Eliminate penalties
Through the first two weeks of the season, the Browns are the most penalized team in the NFL. They have had a total of 24 penalties for a loss of 164 yards through two games.
The penalties came on all three sides of the ball. They've had six offensive holding call, four offsides, two defensive holdings, two false starts and 10 penalties categorized as "other."
Offensive line coach Andy Dickerson said there are some penalties that they can control – such as the pre-snap penalties, lining up in the right position, making sure they are on the snap count and not being too early. They want to preach the right habits to their players and educate their players on the correct method.
"The ones you can definitely control, the pre snap penalties, that's what you definitely harp on," Dickerson said. "And again, nobody's going out there to make any mistakes, obviously, but when those things happen, you just correct them and remind them 'hey, here's the cadence.' You give them another reminder, 'hey, this is going to happen, here's the situation you can be in.'"
Dickerson said they work to put their players in different situations to gain experience. They'll go through another walkthrough to work on situations, change up the cadence and give them reminders of lining up right in game.
"When you get into situations of holding calls or different things like that, if it's a physical mistake or you're going and your straining, it's football," Dickerson said. "Sometimes they're going to happen. Do you agree with all the calls? Not necessarily, but they make the calls, and you have to adjust. My biggest thing is, what do you do after the play? Next play mentality, have your head up, regroup and play the next down because you have another down to play. You can't worry about a previous play and let that take over to the next play."
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the New York Giants at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) and Cornerback Tony Brown (38) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Linebacker Luiji Vilain (98) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive tackle James Hudson III (66) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Tight end Geoff Swaim (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
`51 during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Tony Brown (38) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Royce Freeman (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Michael Barrett (48) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Denzel Ward (21) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson (72) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Long snapper Charley Hughlett (47) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Running back Jerome Ford (34) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Tight end Jordan Akins (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Michael Barrett (48) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Defensive tackle Siaki Ika (62) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Tight end Blake Whiteheart (86) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Tight end Jordan Akins (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Defensive tackle Jowon Briggs (97) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Linebacker Luji Vilain (98) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Tight end Cameron Latu (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 18, 2024.
Wide receiver Jaelon Darden (16) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Tight end Geoff Swaim (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 19, 2024.
Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Wide receiver Michael Woods II (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 20, 2024.
Limit WR Malik Nabers
The Giants rookie WR Malik Nabers was the second-most targeted receiver after Week 2 with 25 targets. He has a total of 15 receptions for 193 receiving yards and one touchdown.
"I don't know if anybody else sees the comparison, but he reminds me a lot of Odell Beckham," defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. "Just in the way he moves and his run after the catch ability and things like that. They target him a lot when they're looking for big plays. And also, they target him on some short passes that he's been able to break tackles and things like that. They have an explosive offense when it comes to big plays."
Stefanski said they have to be aware of Nabers' ability to run the entire route tree. The Giants are finding different ways to get him the ball all over the field, which creates challenges at different levels of the defense.
"It's down the field, it's short, it's versus man, wiggling them open, it's throwing him the ball and in the space game, and bubbles and that type of thing," Stefanski said. "He's very, very fast. He's got very good ball skills. We have to be about our business against him and this entire offense, but he really does a nice job of hurting in a multitude of ways."
Establish the run game
The Giants have struggled early to stop the run, as they have allowed a total of 326 rushing yards on 61 carries, as well as 16 total rushing first downs.
The Browns found success in the run game in Week 2 against the Jaguars, as they started off with a run play with RB D'Onta Foreman rushing for eight yards on the carry. Cleveland rushed for a net total of 125 yards and one rushing touchdown. RB Jerome Ford led the unit with 64 rushing yards on seven carries, while Foreman finished with 42 yards on 14 carries.
Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey said that each game can take on a different identity depending on what the defense is showing, so the usage of the run or the pass game can fluctuate. However, even as they figure out the best way to attack an opposing defense, there is still a desire to run the ball.
"You always want to be able to run the football. You always want to be able to stay balanced and be able to attack in different ways," Dorsey said. "You always want to be physical, let your guys come off the ball not be in a situation that's forcing you to be constant drop back pass or anything like that. So, the big thing for us is staying in green situation, staying in situations that are advantageous to an offense."
