Giants vs. Browns: Top 5 stories from Week 3

THE New York Giants will try to avoid falling to 0-3 on the season with a victory over the Cleveland Browns (1-1) this Sunday afternoon at Huntington Bank Field in Ohio.

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT, then the Giants will have a short turnaround before a Thursday night game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Here are five stories we’re following in Week 3.

The fearsome 0-3 start is looming

The Giants need a win to avoid a dreadful 0-3 start to the season. If they lose, their chances of turning this season into something positive become extremely slim.

Since 1979, only six teams have overcome a winless start to the season and reached the playoffs. The only team this century is the 2018 Houston Texans, who won the AFC South division that year.

The Giants reached the playoffs in the first year of general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll, but regressed last year to go 6-11.

Injuries are piling up on both sides

The Giants and Browns enter this game with some key names on their injury reports.

Cleveland will be without tight end David Njoku (ankle) and running back Pierre Strong Jr. (hamstring), while two offensive tackles — Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee) and Jack Conklin (knee) — are listed as doubtful. A third, Dawand Jones (knee), was limited this week.

Three defensive ends — Myles Garrett (foot), Alex Wright (triceps/elbow) and Za’Darius Smith (back) — were all limited Friday. Cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder, toe) was also limited Friday.

For the Giants, cornerback Nick McCloud (knee) is out. Linebackers Darius Muasau (knee) and Brian Burns (groin) are doubtful. Linebacker Kayvon Thibdodeaux (shoulder) and defensive lineman Rakeen Nunez-Roches (abdomen) were both limited Friday.

Giants’ kicking situation remains uncertain

The Giants placed kicker Graham Gano (hamstring) on ​​injured reserve (IR) this week and signed veteran Greg Joseph, but are pitting him against practice squad player Jude McAtamney in a competition for the role.

On Friday, Daboll said they would make a decision by the end of the day, but it has not been announced.

Gano was injured on the opening kickoff in Washington last Sunday and they played the game without a kicker. They lost, 21-18.

Jalin Hyatt wants to stay

After denying rumors that he wanted to be traded because the Giants weren’t using him properly, second-year wide receiver Jalin Hyatt wanted the media and fans to know he was a true blue.

“Those are false rumors. I never said anything about a transfer or going anywhere, especially not this summer. So my goal now is to get better for this team, to be ready for my opportunity. But as far as the trades and the rumors about that, that was not true,” he told reporters Friday.

It seems someone is connecting the dots. It is true that Hyatt is a forgotten man until now.

Hyatt, who the Giants traded in last year’s draft, has been targeted just once in the team’s first two games after it appeared in training camp that his role would increase.

A Star is Born: CB Dru Phillips

The Giants weren’t kidding when they said they had a promising prospect in defensive back Andru “Dru” Phillips. He’s a great fit on the defense and is quickly becoming a fixture on the Giants’ young defense.

This article was originally published on Giants Wire: Giants vs. Browns: Top 5 stories from Week 3