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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
CLEVELAND (AP) -- There's a lot you could say about the New York
Giants. Sure, their offense is basic and boring. And yes, their
schedule has been pretty easy so far.
But you also have to say this: They're 7-2.
|  | | Running back Tiki Barber, right, gained 53 yards for the Giants, who sparingly used their ground game Sunday. |
"Seven and two is 7-2 in the NFL, regardless," Giants
offensive tackle Lomas Brown said. "There might be a lot of
critics out there, and a lot of ghosts we're still fighting. But
we're winning, and that's what counts."
Kerry Collins threw two of his three touchdown passes to Amani
Toomer on Sunday and the Giants showed that they've got more than
just a smashmouth offense, winning their fourth straight with a
24-3 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
Ike Hilliard also caught a 28-yard TD pass from Collins for the
Giants, who are off to their best start since opening the 1990
season 10-0 en route to winning the Super Bowl.
"We decided to execute the things that teams don't think we can
do," said Giants coach Jim Fassel, who relied on his running game
in the late going to eat up the clock. "They were loaded to stop
the run and were successful."
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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Question on the Giants: What is the biggest reason for the Giants'
recent success in the passing game?
Donahoe: The Giants have basically been a running team and a
ball-control offense this season. Perhaps this success -- and the focus
opponents must give to stopping the run -- has enabled the Giants go to
their passing game with more regularity. They are trying to get quarterback
Kerry Collins more involved to
give them a complete offensive package. Collins was sharp today with three
touchdowns and connected often with Amani Toomer. With the Giants'
running game and defense, if Collins can throw the ball with consistency
they certainly have a chance to do some special things as the season goes
on.
Question on the Browns: Are the Browns making any progress under
Chris Palmer?
Donahoe: Palmer is in a tough position, because not only have the
Browns lost their No. 1 quarterback (Tim Couch) for the season, but
they also lost their backup quarterback (Ty Detmer) earlier in the season.
This has put their offense in a very difficult position. Injuries have
forced Palmer and his staff to become extremely conservative on offense.
Palmer has his work cut out to try to find ways to produce consistently on
offense.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director
of football operations.
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So the Giants went to the air.
New York's offense entered ranked No. 3 in the NFL in rushing,
and just No. 20 in passing. However, Collins looked confident in
the pocket and, for a change, didn't spend the majority of his day
handing the ball to Ron Dayne and Tiki Barber.
Collins went 19-for-31 for a season-high 257 yards and had his
first three-TD game this season. He also completed 7-of-9 passes on
third down.
"I really have not had big TDs this year, so it was imperative
today to go out and do it," Collins said. "It feels good to make
the adjustment and get the passing game in gear."
Fassel didn't want his players looking past the Browns (2-8) and
ahead to their showdown at home against the St. Louis Rams next
Sunday.
And the defense made sure there wouldn't be a letdown, holding
Cleveland to just 41 yards rushing on 16 attempts and limiting the
Browns to only a first-quarter field goal.
Giants defensive end Michael Strahan manhandled Cleveland right
tackle Steve Zahursky, finishing with two sacks and pressuring Doug
Pederson into a costly interception.
He was also part of a goal-line stand in the first when the
Browns settled for a field goal.
"Down at the goal line was big," Strahan said. "You go into a
game looking for a turnover or a big stop. That was a big stop.
That was the emotional swing we needed."
Cleveland, which lost QB Tim Couch and three offensive starters
to season-ending injuries, has lost seven in a row and gone 205
minutes, 54 seconds -- 13 quarters -- without scoring a TD.
The Browns offense, which had just 193 yards, has scored just
six points in the last three games but hasn't gotten into the end
zone since the third quarter against Denver on Oct. 15.
And for the second straight week, the Browns had trouble in
short-yardage situations. They had to settle for a field goal in
the first quarter after having first-and-goal at the 1, and later
were thrown for a 2-yard loss on a 4th-and-1 at the Giants 18.
"The only way to get over the hump is to get the ball into the
end zone," said quarterback Doug Pederson.
Dayne, playing with a bruised right shoulder, rushed for 64
yards and Barber had 53.
Browns coach Chris Palmer, who lost his starting quarterback and
backup to season-ending injuries, played Pederson the whole game.
Pederson went 17-for-29 for 176 yards.
"I thought we executed better than we have the last couple of
weeks," Palmer said. "We still had some dropped balls, missed
blocks and missed tackles in key situations. The penalties we had
kept their drives alive. Those are the things we have to keep
working on."
On their second possession in the second half, the Giants used
9:31 on a 13-play drive which ended with Collins' 17-yard TD pass
to Toomer. Collins drilled a short pass over the middle to Toomer,
who broke tackles by Corey Fuller and Marty Moore at the 5 before
going in.
"I think our whole offense turned it up a notch today and we
started to convert third downs," Toomer said. "Kerry and I are
really clicking right now."
Game notes
The Giants are 4-1 on the road this season. ... The Browns'
three sacks give them 27 this season. They had 25 in all of '99.
... Brown said he and Palmer did not speak after the game. In a
teleconference last week, Brown ripped Palmer and the Browns, who
released him in February. "I'm happy it's over with," Brown said.
"I talked a lot of talk and had to back it up." ... Percy
Ellsworth's fumble recovery in the first quarter was the first by
Cleveland's defense this season. ... Browns reserve LB Ryan Taylor
broke his right fibula in the first half. ... Giants center Dusty
Zeigler didn't return after spraining his left knee in the first
quarter.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
NY Giants Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
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