CLEVELAND – The team that doesn’t specialize in applying pressure through blitzing changed things up, and that made all the difference.

“I mean, they changed the game strategy,” Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson said Sunday after finally recovering from the turf following a hard day’s work at Huntington Bank Field.

The Giants sacked Watson eight times and hit him 17 times – a harsh punishment that caused Browns fans to boo and jeer as the Giants went on the road to their first win of the season, 21-15.

Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen is not known for heavy blitz packages, preferring to rely on his four defensive linemen to create pressure up front.

The Browns started with a double coverage of the two outside players Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux and Bowen responded by applying pressure through the middle, where Dexter Lawrence already dominated.

“We knew we were going to have chances to get home because he’s a dynamic player, he looks for the big play, he likes to extend the game,” Burns said. “We just made a commitment to stay relentless and stay in a hurry and we kind of did that.”

Lawrence led the attack with two sacks and nine different players were involved in the eight sacks.

Watson did himself no favors by holding onto the ball for far too long and at times seemingly not knowing where the rush was coming from.

Burns outran left tackle Dawand Jones on a strip sack late in the second quarter that was recovered by rookie Elijah Chatman, leading to a Giants touchdown with 11 seconds left in the first half.

Chatman, an undrafted rookie from SMU, recorded his first NFL sack in the first quarter.

“It’s just instinct when you come around the corner,” Burns said of his strip sack. “I felt like he was getting ready to pull up, and I just waited a little bit, aimed at his arm and got the ball out.”

Burns was listed as questionable before the game, but he was placed on the injured list late last week due to a groin problem.

He completed a thorough training session before the game.

“I always felt like I was going to play,” Burns said. “I’m not going to play until I really can’t play anymore.”

Rookie WR Malik Nabers (8-78, 2 TDs) was 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) has come up with a lot of plays for me, and the offense trusts me to get it done. That shows how much we want to be an explosive offense, and I’m a key factor in that offense.”

Rookie CB Dru Phillips was one of the best players on defense, but had to leave the game in the first quarter with a calf injury.

A calf injury also sidelined CB Adoree’ Jackson in the second half.

The Giants took a hit as LB Micah McFadden (back) and WR Darius Slayton (thumb) both had to be substituted in the second half.

McFadden was able to return.

Starting CB Nick McCloud (knee) was unavailable for the second game in a row.

The other inactives were S Anthony Johnson, CB Tre Hawkins, OLB Benton Whitley, OLB Boogie Basham and G Jake Kubas.