The cliché that the NFL stands for “Not For Long” has never been truer than at the start of the 2026 NFL season. Not only have we seen huge injuries, but teams who looked one way in Week 1 turned a different leaf in Week 2, including the Cleveland Browns.
While fans are mostly standing pat with their Browns expectations, the team is hoping to build on Week 2 successes while improving in areas that continue to be a struggle, like their run game. A lot of the outcomes in the NFL come down to quarterback
play, a quality head coach, and injury luck.
For Cleveland’s Week 15 opponent, the New York Giants, the roller coaster of the season has already hit a big high (Week 1’s victory), a low (Week 2’s loss), and now an off-the-rails experience with QB Jaxson Dart’s injury being worse than expected:
Shortly after Monday Night Football concluded, the expectation was that Dart would only miss a few weeks. Many were surprised given the violence of this hit’s impact on his left knee:
Tuesday’s news pushes former Browns starter Jameis Winston into the driver’s seat for the Giants. Winston struggled in relief of Dart, completing just 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards with one interception.
Winston is the only quarterback left on the Giants active roster. Jake Haener is on New York’s practice squad, with 11 passing attempts in his career.
