Eli Manning, Giants down Browns for sixth straight win

The schedule is no joke.

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The New York Giants must guard against overconfidence Sunday as they aim for their sixth consecutive victory when they visit the winless Cleveland Browns.

The performance was far from ideal, but good enough late to send the Browns to their 12th straight loss.

The Giants are hanging in there, too, just two games behind the Cowboys in the NFC East. While their past five opponents own a combined 14-40 record, their next five are 34-19-1.

Since making his first start on November 21, 2004, Manning has not missed a game, the longest streak among active NFL players – at any position – and the third-longest for a quarterback in league history.

For the Giants, though, it might not matter how they play heading into the playoffs – just how they get there.

If there’s a shred of good news it’s that the Browns have a bye next week, giving the coaching staff and players a break from the misery.

“Not to knock the National Basketball Association or Major League Baseball, but when you lose (a lot of) those games you shrug your shoulders and say, ‘OK, we have another one tomorrow.’ But in the NFL, those opportunities are so rare”.

“I think you take (losses) harder (when you’re 0-12)”, Thomas said.

“We have what we have right now”, he said.

Coach Bruce Arians was on the sideline after falling ill and being briefly hospitalized early in the week, but it did little to inspire his team.

But for everything the offense has been, the defense has been the exact opposite. His route-running needs to get more precise for when he is lined up across from faster cornerbacks, though. Terrelle Pryor Sr. popped a big one against Giants rookie Eli Apple, getting a 54-yard gain. That is why there is so much reason for optimism.

Pierre-Paul, who played eight games with a club over his injured right hand last season, improbably seems to be matching the highest levels of his play pre-hand injury now in 2016. Five of them came when they rushed four men or less, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Nonetheless, the lack of pass rush has been a glaring weakness all season. But don’t tell that to Jason Pierre-Paul.

The Browns, meanwhile, did what talent-challenged teams are frequently forced to do: try to trick the opposition, since they can’t out-talent them.

It’s the Giants’ offense that presses pause on its Super Bowl aspirations. Even with questionable talent among the starters entering the season, Reese did not bother to solidify the offensive line or add depth. It was arguably the best effort of the year for the young group, but quick-hitting, big plays from the Giants prevented it from being rewarded with a win.

That’s not going to fly down the stretch. I talked to him about some of the possibilities that could make you feel good about the future, but I felt like a dummy if I didn’t mute every bit of infinitesimal optimism that I invented as a possibility.

Jackson said Griffin will be tested this week to see if he is cleared to fully practice.

General manager Jerry Reese‘s reluctance to improve the offensive line this offseason has undoubtedly hurt the offense. The defense was on the field too long. “They’re doing a great job, but we have to do our part”.

The litmus test for the Giants is coming with Pittsburgh, Dallas and Detroit on deck. In free agency, they shopped at the top of the market and brought in Janoris Jenkins, Damon Harrison, and Olivier Vernon from other teams. They are hungry to win. With Kessler in there, it’s becoming impossible to determine because they don’t get the opportunities to prove it.