postGame: Giants 37 Browns 34
The Giants built a big early lead, as much as 30-3 in the early second quarter, but the Browns struck back and put up 31 points from that point on. The Giants managed to hold on and win their second preseason game, led by a huge night by Domenik Hixon.
Hixon caught two touchdown passes, one for 11 yards and the second for 24 from Eli Manning in the first quarter. He capped it off by returning a free kick 82 yards for a touchdown.
Browns CB Eric Wright was called for a 53-yard pass interference on WR Sinorice Moss, setting up the Giants first score. Cleveland was extremely sloppy early on, drawing multiple penalties, including a 15 yard infraction on Andra Davis, who tried to throw a punch at a Giants player. That led to Hixon’s second TD, thrown by Eli Manning who was 4-of-7 for 52 yards in his one quarter.
Reuben Droughns induced a safety by pushing Browns RB Travis Thomas into the direction of a punt with the Browns pinned deep in their own territory, deflecting the ball into the air in above the end zone. The ball was nearly caught for another Giants touchdown but was dropped and went out of bounds for a safety.
A botched handoff by Derek Anderson to Jamal Lewis led to a fumble that was recovered by Giants safety James Butler who returned it for a 95 yard touchdown. Anderson was 4-of-10 for 20 yards but left with a concussion after being sacked by Osi Umenyiora.
Brady Quinn came in and went 7-of-12 for 124 yards and was able to cut the lead to 30-24 before Ahmad Bradshaw ran one in to give the Giants a 37-24 lead. A field goal and a TD pass cut it back to down to 37-34 but Giants RB Danny Ware had a series of successful runs to bleed down the clock.
Ware led the rushing core with 97 yards on 10 carries, mostly in garbage time but Bradshaw saw the majority of the snaps. Bradshaw had eight carries for 28 yards. Brandon Jacobs dropped two fumbles, his third and fourth of the preseason. He had a total of 24 yards on seven carries.
Giants QB David Carr connected on 7-of-14 for 53 yards, while Anthony Wright was 4-for-8 for 34 yards and an INT. Wright left the game with a back injury sustained when he was sacked late in the second quarter. Rookie QB Andre Woodson threw one pass, which was incomplete.
