WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT SPECIAL TEAMS
It was an unfortunate start to the game when Cleveland’s Tony Brown II stripped the ball from Giants returner Eric Gray on the opening kickoff. Grant Delpit recovered the fumble and on the next play, Amari Cooper caught a perfect 24-yard pass from Watson in the end zone to put the team ahead with just 11 seconds left in the game.
This week, the Giants placed kicker Graham Gano on the injured list and signed veteran Greg Joseph, who fans know well. Joseph spent three seasons with Minnesota and set a franchise record with a 61-yard field goal as time expired in a 27-24 win over the Giants on December 24, 2022.
Joseph, who made his NFL debut with the Browns in 2018, had made 11 of 12 field goals at Cleveland’s Huntington Bank Field and 9 of 12 extra points through Sunday. Earlier this week, special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial said Joseph was competing with practice squad rookie Jude McAtamney for the job.
On Sunday, it was Joseph who got the call. The new Giant made three extra points but missed a 48-yard attempt wide right that would have given the Giants a nine-point lead with 3:00 left in the game.
NYG: CB Dru Phillips (calf), CB Adoree’ Jackson (calf), WR Darius Slayton (thumb), LB Micah McFadden (back)
CLE: G Wyatt Teller (knee), OT Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee), OT James Hudson (shoulder)
NYG: Quarterback Tommy DeVito (3rd), S Anthony Johnson, CB Tre Hawkins III, CB Nick McCloud (knee), OLB Benton Whitley, OLB Boogie Basham, G Jake Kubas
CLE: QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (3rd), RB Pierre Strong Jr. (hamstring), CB Kahlef Hailassie, G Javion Cohen, T Jack Conklin (knee), WR Jamari Thrash (illness), TE David Njoku (ankle)
NYG: The Giants signed cornerback Art Green and linebacker Ty Summers from the practice squad (standard view).
CLE: The Browns signed former Giants running back Gary Brightwell and tight end Blake Whiteheart from the practice squad to the active roster. The team also promoted cornerback Tony Brown II and tight end Geoff Swaim.
