Browns’ smoking gun v. Kyle Shanahan’s juggernaut is Jim Schwartz
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Takeaways from Browns practice and interviews …
The glimmer of hope the Browns have Sunday against the 5-0 San Francisco 49ers?
Well, there’s the Jim Schwartz factor.
The defensive coordinator has squared off eight times against Kyle Shanahan when either was a coordinator or head coach, and Schwartz’s teams have emerged victorious seven times.
(The 8-1 Schwartz record circulated on social media on Thursday included a Schwartz victory in 2021 as a defensive consultant with Tennessee. We’re not including that meeting in this analysis.)
The applicable eight meetings since 2008 have had Schwartz with four teams (one as head coach) and Shanahan with five teams (one as head coach).
Here’s a rundown of those meetings:
2008
Schwartz was DC of Tennessee Titans and Shanahan was OC of Houston Texans. They met twice and split the games.
1. Tennessee 31, Houston 12.
Schwartz held the Texans to 3 of 15 on third downs and 2 of 6 on fourth downs and 317 total yards. Texans quarterback Matt Schaub was 17 of 37 for 188 yards, 0 touchdowns, 3 interceptions and was sacked three times.
2. Houston 13, Tennessee 12.
Schaub was able to put the only TD on the board on a 13-yard completion to Andre Johnson in the second quarter. Schaub was 23 of 39 for 284 yards, 1 TD, O INT. H was sacked three times.
2010
Schwartz was head coach of the Detroit Lions and Shanahan was OC of Washington.
3. Detroit 37, Washington 25.
The Lions made up three deficits with a 23-12 advantage in the fourth quarter. The Redskins had only 275 total yards and were held to 2 of 14 on third downs. Redskins QB Donovan McNabb was 17 of 30 for 210 yards, with 1 TD and 1 INT and was sacked six times.
2013
Same as in 2010, Schwartz HC of Detroit, Shanahan OC of Washington.
4. Detroit 27, Washington 20.
Washington QB Robert Griffin III passed 50 times, completing 32 for 326 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT and was sacked two times. The Redskins’ only offensive touchdown was a 30-yard run by Alfred Morris.
2014
Schwartz was DC of the Buffalo Bills and Shanahan was OC of the Browns.
5. Buffalo 26, Browns 10.This was the beginning of the end of Brian Hoyer as Browns starting QB. He was lifted for Johnny Manziel in the fourth quarter after not putting a touchdown on the board. Hoyer was 18 of 30 for 192 yards and 2 INT and was sacked two times. The Browns were held to 3 of 12 on third downs.
2016
Schwartz was DC of the Philadelphia Eagles and Shanahan was OC of the Atlanta Falcons.
6. Philadelphia 24, Atlanta 15.
The Falcons were the league’s highest-scoring team and on their way to the NFC title and Super Bowl appearance. Future MVP quarterback Matt Ryan was 18 of 33 for 267 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT and was sacked two times. The Falcons were stifled to 2 of 11 on third downs and season-lows of 15 points, 11 first downs and 48 yards rushing.
2017
Schwartz was DC of the Eagles and Shanahan was head coach of the San Francisco 49ers.
7. Philadelphia 33, San Francisco 10.
Plagued with C.J. Beathard at quarterback and no receiving threat beyond tight end George Kittle, Shanahan fell behind, 20-0, and had no chance. Beathard was 17 of 36 for 167 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT and was sacked four times. The 49ers were 3 of 15 on third downs and had 238 total yards.
2020
Same as in 2019, Schwartz DC and Shanahan HC.
8. Philadelphia 25, San Francisco 20.
This game went back and forth until the Eagles secured it with a Pick 6 in the fourth quarter. Shanahan scrambled all year after losing quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to repeated ankle injuries. His replacement, Nick Mullens, was 18 of 26 for 200 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, and lost a fumble on one of four sacks. Beathard replaced Mullens in the second half and was 14 of 19 for 138 yards and was sacked once.
Schwartz said Shanahan has adapted his offense to the different personnel of his different teams.
“He does a good job of scheming for his players,” Schwartz said. “And I think that’s probably the biggest thing. You’re not out there trying to stop a play-caller. You’re out there trying to stop his players, and we’re going to have our work cut out for us.”
Even though the Falcons of 2016 were the NFL’s best offense that season, Shanahan’s present 49ers are his best team yet.
“I think probably the biggest thing that stands out is they have so many multi-purpose players, multi-position players,” Schwartz said. “I think a common thing is people say ‘positionless players.’ These guys aren’t positionless. They have multi-positions.
“It’s going to be a great matchup. This is NFL football at its finest. This is an outstanding offense, a good defense. We’ll be ready for it.”
Watson saga update
Deshaun Watson did not practice for the 18th straight day as P.J. Walker worked for the second day with the first-team offense in preparation for Sunday’s start.
Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt defended Watson against cynical suggestions that he isn’t tough enough to play through his bruised rotator cuff injury.
“It’s just tough for him,” Van Pelt said. “He’s a thrower and it’s a shoulder injury. It’s like you wouldn’t put a running back out there on the field if you couldn’t run full speed. So … just got to wait till that thing gets healed up and he feels good about it and we all feel good about it, but he’s doing everything he can. He’ll have to catch up, but we’re not waiting. We got to go.”
Van Pelt added, “I would never ever, ever doubt his toughness. Never. I’ve seen him play. I’ve seen him do some amazing things, fight through things. That is not the issue at all whatsoever. Again, if I’m a running back and I can’t run full speed, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to make it. I might be cleared medically, but I can’t operate with my strength, which is my legs as a runner. So same as a thrower for him. I would never, ever, ever doubt his toughness. He’s tough as nails.”
The Browns' throwback white helmets would look even better with brown jerseys, but the Browns are restricted to wearing the same throwback white uniforms as in the Pittsburgh game whenever wearing the throwback helmets. (TheLandOnDemand)
Brownie bits
Left guard Joel Bitonio’s streak of 102 consecutive starts could be in jeopardy. He missed his second straight practice with an ankle injury …
Tight end David Njoku (face, hand) also missed a second practice. Njoku was seen in the locker room and face (burnt in a fire-pit accident) looked a lot better than in the photo Njoku posted on Instagram earlier in the week …
Defensive end Myles Garrett (foot) was back on the field on a limited basis.
