The Browns' defense, led by defensive ends Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney, is the reason the team's playoff hopes are still alive. (Cleveland Browns)
Second thoughts: Browns defense is reason why playoffs are still alive
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Second thoughts on the Browns’ 24-22 win over the Baltimore Ravens …
1. It’s the nature of the NFL that offense garners the most attention. That’s certainly the case with the Browns. But while injuries, drama and frustration have kept the focus on the offense, the defense quietly has emerged as the strength of the Browns. There was a time in the first month of the season when the Browns were the only team ranked in the top 10 in overall offense and defense. Now, the offense has slumped to 16th and the defense has held steady at fifth. The offense has scored 17 or fewer points in seven of the last eight games.
2. Injuries certainly have disrupted the flow and rhythm of the offense. It’s also evident that the divisive effects of the Odell Beckham Jr. release are still being felt. That messy divorce splintered the locker room. Jarvis Landry, Beckham’s best friend on the Browns, has not been available to media since Beckham’s exit. In an interview with NFL Network’s Kurt Warner aired on Sunday, Baker Mayfield alluded to dealing with “a lot of internal things” this season in regards to criticism. Mayfield has been the target of social media barbs from the fathers of Beckham and Kareem Hunt. Meanwhile, the defense seems to be in a great place – unified and working together. This was evident when so many different players made big plays against the Ravens. Myles Garrett’s strip sack, scoop and score; Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s tackle of Lamar Jackson that resulted in Jackson’s ankle injury; Takk McKinley’s forced fumble of Tyler Huntley; Jadeveon Clowney’s sack of Huntley after Baltimore’s onside kick recovery; Grant Delpit’s interception on a Baltimore two-point try; and Denzel Ward’s big stop of Rashod Bateman four yards short of a first down.
3. Coordinator Joe Woods’ defense has now turned in four of its finest performances in the four games against division opponents. Against Pittsburgh, it yielded 15 points and limited Ben Roethlisberger to 4 of 13 third-down conversions; against Cincinnati, it sacked Joe Burrow five times, forced three turnovers and scored a touchdown on Ward’s 99-yard Pick 6; in the first game against Baltimore, it intercepted Jackson four times; in the second game against Baltimore, it forced two fumbles, scored a touchdown and intercepted a two-point try, and held the Ravens to 1 of 12 third-down conversions. Overall in the four games against AFC North rivals, the defense has surrendered 69 points (17.2 point average), made nine takeaways and scored two touchdowns.
4. The Browns have scored but 7 points (in Cincinnati) in the fourth quarter of the last eight games. This has led to the fifth-worst point differential in the second half of all games. The Browns are minus-67 in point differential in the second half. That’s keeping company with Houston (minus-132), Atlanta (minus-99), Chicago (minus-70) and Jacksonville (minus-68) – none of which will make the post-season. The five best point differentials in the second half belong to Buffalo (plus-91), New England (plus-90), Cincinnati (plus-61), Green Bay (plus-57) and Kansas City (plus-56). The Browns have been shut out in the second half by Arizona, New England, Detroit and Baltimore. “We do have to be better. That is obvious,” said coach Kevin Stefanski. “That is a team stat. Offense, defense and special teams, we have to be better through all four quarters. We are looking for that 60-minute game. The adjustments that you make, they really happen within series and within quarters. It is not like you get in at halftime and you wholesale change things. You have really good discussion and you talk about where you are going, but really, all of those adjustments should be happening in the middle of the second quarter, in the middle of the third quarter and so on. We do have to do better. That is our focus. We have to finish.”
5. It was not a great game for the Browns’ special teams. Demetric Felton muffed the first two Baltimore punts, Chase McLaughlin banged the right upright on a 41-yard field goal try, and Andy Janovich failed to see the ball on Justin Tucker’s onside kick resulting in a Baltimore recovery. The one shining moment came when kick returner JoJo Natson cradled a Tucker kickoff at the 2-yard line with his foot out of bounds. By rule, it meant the kickoff was out of bounds, which gave the Browns possession at their 40-yard line. “It is not something that you practice, but you certainly cover that in those special teams meetings often,” Stefanski said after the game. “JoJo is a veteran player. I bet you all of the guys on our sideline knew that rule. Everybody was aware of what JoJo was doing as the ball was rolling out there. That is a credit to [special teams coordinator Mike Priefer] of making sure those guys are situationally aware because those often come up in special teams plays.”
