A FORMER GREAT RIVALRY TO OPEN THE PRESEASON
By STEVE KING
Though you would never know it because in being in different conferences for nearly the last half-century and no longer playing each other very much, Browns-New York Giants was once the hottest – the very best – rivalry in the NFL.
In the 16-year period from 1950, when the Browns entered the NFL from the All-America Football Conference, through 1965, either Cleveland or New York won the Eastern (also American) Conference title 15 times. Only in 1960, when the Philadelphia Eagles captured the East championship and then the NFL crown, was that streak interrupted.
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As such, then, when the Browns and Giants played each other twice each season, every season, those games really meant something. For the Browns, the road to the league crown ran through New York, and for the Giants, it ran through Cleveland.
But those days are long gone. It’s 2018, and as the Browns and host Giants open the preseason against one another on Thursday night at 7, they will both be trying to get back on track.
The Browns are coming off an 0-16 finish and are just trying to be mediocre, not horrible, The Giants were an uncharacteristic 3-13 last and want to make another title run before Father Time sacks longtime quarterback Eli Manning. I don’t think it’s going to happen for the Giants – not just this season but in any season in the foreseeable future — because I don’t believe in new head coach Pat Shurmur, who was 9-23 in two seasons (2011-12) with the Browns, nor do I believe in Manning, whose miserable performance in 2017 was not really an aberration anymore but rather a window into just where he’s at, at this late stage of his career.
But that’s for the Giants to worry about. We’re worried about the Browns, who, with veteran starter Tyrod and rookie No. 1 overall draft choice Baker Mayfield as the No. 1 backup, actually have a better quarterback situation than New York.
Mayfield may play as much as two quarters in the game, but no matter how much he or anyone else is out there, I just want the Browns to look like a professional team again. We’ll see if they can reach that low bar.
