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Hixon, Giants get a quick jump on Browns

Aug 19, 2008 - 3:18 AM EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- The New York Giants were without their top three wide receivers in Monday's preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Dominik Hixon made sure they were not missed.

Hixon hauled in a pair of touchdown passes and returned a kick 82 yards for another score - all in the first quarter - to spark the reigning Super Bowl champions to a 37-34 defeat of the Browns - a score that hardly reflected New York's dominance.

Making their first appearance at home since their stunning run to the Super Bowl, the Giants looked in midseason form, dismantling the Browns in all phases of the game during a 16-minute clinic.

How dominant was New York? With under a minute having elapsed in the second quarter, the Giants already held a commanding 30-3 cushion.

Less than a minute later, defensive end Osi Umenyiora added insult to injury, driving Browns Pro Bowl quarterback Derek Anderson to the ground and knocking him from the game with a possible concussion.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning finished 4-of-7 for 52 yards and two touchdown passes despite missing starting wideouts Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer as well as top backup Steve Smith, who were all sidelined by injuries.

Hixon, who was claimed on waivers from Denver last season, more than picked up the slack with four receptions for 63 yards. After the Giants spotted the Browns an early 3-0 lead, Manning flicked a pair of scoring passes to Hixon - for 11 and 24 yards - in a span of 2:26.

New York then showed off the other facets of its game, getting a safety on a blocked punt that led to Hixon's 82-yard return and a 23-3 lead with nine seconds left in the opening quarter.

The defense completed the devastation, when safety James Butler scooped up a fumble by Jamal Lewis and returned it 95 yards for a 30-3 advantage just 55 seconds into the second quarter.

On the next series, Umenyiora leveled Anderson with a hit that bounced his head off the turf, bringing on 2007 first-round pick Brady Quinn, who went 7-of-12 for 124 yards and and a touchdown.