BEREA, Ohio — Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. has seen two interceptions slip through his hands this season. One of those opportunities was stolen right out of them.
The first came in the second quarter of the Browns’ win in Jacksonville, when Emerson jumped a ball thrown by Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence intended for rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. Emerson stole the ball out of Thomas’ hands just as it hit them but couldn’t hang on to the potential turnover.
Lawrence scrambled for 33 yards on the next play, setting up the Jaguars’ first points of the day.
Then, against the Giants, he had an interception snatched out of his hands by Giants rookie receiver Malik Nabers, a play that made the rounds on social media and came to signify a tough day for Emerson.
“He attacked the ball. I feel like I was in front of him. I actually boxed him out,” Emerson said. “He went over me. I just feel like I got to take the ball faster and find a way to come down with it.”
The throw was a fade to Nabers with 2:32 left in the second quarter, a 28-yard gain that set up the Giants’ second touchdown of the game.
“(Receivers) look at it as an 80/20 ball, we look at it as 80/20 balls for us as well,” Emerson said. “So gotta find a way to make that play.”
It was the standout play for Nabers and, unfortunately for Emerson, some of the best coverage he had on Nabers all day.
“Got to make that play, 10 times out of 10, gotta make that play,” Emerson said. “It’s an easy play, it’s a routine play, in phase, just finish, finish that. Of course, it’s very frustrating when you don’t come down with those passes because when I found the ball, in my head I was thinking interception, it’s an easy pick.”
Nabers, fresh off a breakout game against the Commanders in Week 2, had eight catches for 78 yards against the Browns, with most of his damage coming in the first half and, according to data from Pro Football Focus, caught three passes for 43 yards and a touchdown when matched up with Emerson.
The Giants’ final two drives of the second quarter were particularly tough on Emerson. Nabers capped the drive when he stole the ball from Emerson with a touchdown with Emerson guarding him.
“It was (bad) technique,” Emerson said.
Nabers also got him on a slant for 12 yards with 32 seconds left in the first half.
“Probably bad eyes,” Emerson said.
Each rep was a different issue in what turned out to be a difficult day for the emerging cornerback the Browns selected in the third round in the 2022 draft.
“I took away different things from different reps,” Emerson said, “but just winning one-on-one, basically just winning my matchup, that’s all.”
Sometimes that’s just life as a cornerback. Bad days stand out because you can’t hide when you’re on an island with a player like Nabers. Still, Emerson wasn’t interested in making excuses.
“I feel like we gotta make those plays. That’s what makes the best corners the best corners, that’s what makes you elite, that’s what we get paid to do,” Emerson said, “and I gotta find a way to make those plays and I will.”
