CLEVELAND — Nothing the Browns saw on Sunday from New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers was a surprise. That, in a lot of ways, is what makes it so tough.

"I mean, tape don't lie, man," Browns cornerback Martin Emerson said after a 21-15 loss to the Giants. "Everything was pretty much accurate. Everything that we seen, they ran."

The Giants didn't just run it, they ran it well. Specifically, they ran it perfectly when it came to getting the ball to their burgeoning superstar rookie out of LSU.

Nabers was targeted 12 times by Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, catching eight of those for 78 yards and two touchdowns. The first seven times Jones threw to the No. 6 overall pick in April's draft, he racked up 70 yards and two touchdowns.

Many of those passes, to Emerson's chagrin, were with him as the defender closest to Nabers.

"They was targeting me." Emerson said. "It's got to be better, you know what I'm saying? Got to be better [to] win those one-on-one matches."

Next up for the Browns will be another talented wide receiver — the Las Vegas Raiders' Davante Adams. That's just the start of a run of pass catchers who could only added to Emerson's struggles from Sunday.

That is, unless those struggles become the lesson of the week leading into Las Vegas — not only for Emerson, but for the Browns as a whole.

"Watch the film, correct it, correct what's wrong and build up the good things that we did and find a way to win that next game," Emerson said. "One game at a time. We on the road against an AFC opponent. It's a great challenge for us, and got to step up."

Cedric Tillman laments missed opportunity on final 4th down

The Browns' hopes for a fourth-quarter comeback hung on fourth-and-4. The problem was wide receiver Cedric Tillman couldn't hang onto an accurate pass from quarterback Deshaun Watson.

With Amari Cooper on the sideline after being shaken up the play before, it was Tillman who was targeted by Watson on a crossing pattern. However, despite cornerback Deonte Banks guarding him, the ball got to his hands, but went through them and off his chest for an incompletion.

"Just didn't make the play," Tillman said. "I let the team down. I make that play most of the time. Unfortunately, didn't make it today."

Tillman had four yards on his only catch of the day, on the second possession of the game. He's made three catches for nine yards in three games this season.

Jameis Winston short-yardage package doesn't move the chains

Football's a game of inches. Those inches worked against the Browns in a couple of big moments Sunday.

Start with Cleveland's third-and-1 try from its own 29 with 4:40 remaining in the game. Jameis Winston, the backup quarterback, was called upon to pick up that yard on a sneak.

Winston, though, was dropped for no gain by New York's Kayvon Thibodeaux and Jason Pinnock as he tried to get to the outside on the right. He needed to go to the outside because New York's Dexter Lawrence pushed center Nick Harris into the backfield, although he wasn't using that as an excuse.

"I just got to get the first down," Winston said. "That's it. I got to be better."

The Browns went for it on fourth down, but Watson also failed to pick up the yard when he scrambled. He tried to stretch the ball out, but it wasn't enough to move the sticks.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns have moments to forget in Week 3 loss to Giants