CLEVELAND — The team that doesn’t specialize in applying pressure through the blitz changed things up and that made the difference.

“I mean, they changed the game plan,” Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson said Sunday after finally getting back on his feet after a hard day at Huntington Bank Field.

The Giants tackled Watson eight times and hit him 17 times. This was a heavy penalty, which led to boos and jeers from the Browns fans. The Giants left the stadium with their first victory of the season: 21-15.

Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen isn’t known for his heavy blitz assignments, preferring to rely on creating pressure up front with his four defenders.

The Browns started with a dual offense featuring their two edge players, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, and Bowen adapted this by applying pressure up the middle, where Dexter Lawrence was already dominating.

“We knew there were opportunities to get home because he’s a dynamic player, he looks for the big play, he likes to extend the game,” Burns said. “We just kept in mind to stay relentless and stay on the rush and that’s what we did.”

Lawrence led the way with two sacks and nine other players accounted for eight sacks.

Watson didn’t matter either, because he held the ball for far too long. At times he seemed unaware of where the rush was coming from.

Burns passed left tackle Dawand Jones on a strip sack late in the second quarter, but the ball was picked up by rookie Elijah Chatman, setting up a touchdown for the Giants with 11 seconds left in the first half.

Chatman, an undrafted rookie out of SMU, recorded his first NFL sack in the first quarter.

“It’s just instinct when you’re coming over the edge,” Burns said of his strip sack. “I felt like he was getting ready to wind up and I just waited a minute and aimed for his arm, and got the ball out.”

Burns was on the uncertain list prior to the match, but was added to the injury report late last week due to a groin injury.

He did a thorough training before the match.

“I always felt like I was going to play,” Burns said. “I’m not going to play until I can’t play anymore.”

Rookie WR Malik Nabers (8-78, 2 TDs) became the first player in NFL history with 20 receptions and three touchdown receptions in his first three games.

“Just working hard,” Nabers said. “Dabes (coach Brian Daboll) makes a lot of plays for me, the offense trusts me to make that happen. It shows how much we want to be an explosive offense and I’m a big part of that offense.”

Rookie CB Dru Phillips is one of the best players on defense, but he was out in the first quarter with a calf injury.

A calf injury also kept CB Adoree’ Jackson out of the second half.

The Giants were dealt a heavy blow, with LB Micah McFadden (back) and WR Darius Slayton (thumb) both suffering second-half injuries.

McFadden was able to return.

Starting CB Nick McCloud (knee) was unavailable for the second game in a row.

The other inactive players were S Anthony Johnson, CB Tre Hawkins, OLB Benton Whitley, OLB Boogie Basham and G Jake Kubas.