Easy peasy

It hasn't been often this season that the following was appropriately used as a lead in a game story. In fact, it was never used. Until now.

There was never any doubt whatsoever Sunday night that the Browns were in any danger of losing to the New York Giants and at the same time showed a national television audience they are no longer the National Football League's punch line.

Playing their most complete game of the season on both sides of the football, they inched closer to the postseason with a 20-6 victory over the Giants in a game that was not nearly as close as the final score indicates.

The relatively easy victory, which strengthened the Browns' hold on fifth place as a wild card in the playoffs, was their 10th this season, tying the 2007 edition for the most victories in a season since the resurrection in 1999. and most since the 11 for the 1994 team that relocated in Baltimore two years later.

It also marked the fourth time this season the Browns followed up a loss with a victory. Another victory next Sunday against the hapless New York Jets almost certainly will insure post-season action for the Browns for the first time since 2002.

The Browns dominated on offense, stifled on defense and were in complete command Sunday night. The Giants were non-threatening after entering the red zone on their first three possessions only to wind up with just a field goal after turning the ball over on downs twice at the five-yard line.

Baker Mayfield was superb. No, make that spectacular. Not that he had to be because the Giants never threatened after their initial forays into scoring territory. It arguably was his sharpest performance of the season, his club-record  21 straight completions against Cincinnati in week seven notwithstanding.

The offensive line once again stood out, this time zealously protecting their quarterback instead of opening holes for the run game. They did so with a third-string guard, rookie Nick Harris more than holding his own after Chris Hubbard, filling in for the injured Wyatt Teller, went down with a knee injury on the second play of the evening.

Mayfield was 27 of 32 for 297 yards (a season high 84.4%) and touchdown passes to Austin Hooper and Jarvis Landry on consecutive possessions in the second quarter. During his four-game hot streak, he has completed 70.2% of his passes, thrown 10 touchdown passes (and just one interception) and averaged 308 yards a game.

He guided, again methodically, a pair of 95-yard scoring drives that took nearly 15 minutes off the game clock, Another 6:41 came off the clock when the Browns took the lead for good early in the second quarter on a mere 75-yard journey. Those three long marches alone consumed 19:36 of the club's 34:03 total in time of possession. The Giants' defense could not get off the field.

Of Mayfield's 27 completions, 11 were for 15 or more yards. Of those 11, five were dialed up on first down, three on second down and three on third down. All of which probably confused the Giants defense because the Browns more often than not run on first down.

Rashard Higgins was the largest beneficiary with four receptions, followed by rookie Donovan People-Jones with three, Landry with two and David Njoku and Hooper with one each. Chunk throws like that enabled the offense to convert nine of 13 third downs, pile up 34 minutes of ball ownership and keep the defense well rested.

It was obvious from the beginning that the Giants were determined to stop the Cleveland ground game. Nick Chubb, who scored the final touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Kareem Hunt were held to just 71 of the club's 108 yards on the ground. 

Apparently head coach/playcaller Kevin Stefanski anticipated that strategy and designed a game plan that featured his quarterback, which is significant in that it shows he is growing more confident and trusting of what Mayfield brings to this offense.

The Cleveland attack was methodical throughout the game, nicely marrying the ground game, such as it was, with the passing game and keeping the New York defense off balance. Nothing fancy. Nothing spectacular. Just almost-flawless football. 

The final touchdown was a study in determination by the offense. It ate up the last six minutes of the third quarter and first two of the fourth quarter and did not come easily. In fact, it marked the only time of the evening the offense misfired. It took two Chubb touchdowns to make it stick.

The Browns arrived at the New York six and Chubb barged over left tackle to score on first down, but right tackle Jack Conklin was found guilty of clipping. A 17-yard connection with Higgins got back to the four. But left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. was flagged for a false start. Back to the nine. An eight-yard pass to Chubb followed by a one-yard plunge by the running back completed the drive.

The defense, which had been drilled for 107 points in the last three games, was tough when it needed to be with safeties Karl Joseph and Sheldrick Redwine standing out. Joseph, who started the season at strong safety but took a seat when Ronnie Harrison Jr. arrived, had 10 tackles, including eight solos. Redwine, subbing for the injured Andrew Sendejo at free safety, checked in with eight stops, four solo. 

The 5-9 Giants, who entered the game with an outside shot at the postseason in the NFL's worst division, were limited to just 14 first downs and 288 yards of offense with ex-Brown Colt McCoy guiding the meek offense. Four of those first downs and 76 of those yards were recorded in garbage time with the Browns playing prevent.

It was clearly and most decidedly the Browns' best overall game this season, one that caused no concern whatsoever throughout Browns Nation for an entire evening.