BEREA, Ohio -- A concerning trend is starting to occur with the Cleveland Browns defense, particularly in the secondary. The rushing defense is controlling the opponents' ability to run the ball, but opposing offenses are finding the Browns' depth at cornerback and exposing it.
The Browns knew that losing cornerback Martin Emerson was a big blow to the defense and the secondary, but the questions at cornerback behind Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome came to light all the more in the 41-17 blowout loss to the Ravens on Sunday.
The Ravens averaged just 2.1 yards per carry and had just 45 yards on 21 carries. The defense held Derrick Henry to just 23 yards (2.1 avg.) and Lamar Jackson to just 13 yards rushing.
Against the Ravens, Ward was forced to leave the game early due to cramping and did not play in the second half, when the Ravens threw three touchdown passes despite not having a running game. Ward played just 20 snaps against the Ravens.
Kevin Stefanski said that there was no other injury keeping Ward out besides the cramps. He termed all the players as 'day to day', other than DeAndre Carter, who suffered a concussion.
Jackson was just 10-of-17 for 77 yards with one touchdown in the first half, but was 9-of-12 for 148 yards, including three touchdowns, in the second half. Overall, Jackson finished 19-of-29 for 225 yards, including four touchdowns and a passer rating of 128.6.
Third-year cornerback Cameron Mitchell and second-year cornerback Myles Harden were forced to play the second half, and Jackson continually picked on both players, finding whomever they were covering in the defensive scheme.
Zay Flowers did a lot of the damage moving the ball with seven receptions for 75 yards (10.7 avg.), but DeAndre Hopkins, Devontez Walker and Tylan Wallace combined for six receptions, 115 yards and four touchdowns.
Mitchell was in coverage on three of the scores, while Harden was on the other. Hopkins would have had a second touchdown with Mitchell in coverage, but the replay ruled him down short of the goal line, and the Browns held the Ravens to a field goal.
"I think that goes back to what we were talking about earlier, in the form of playing complementary ball and if making an offense drive the football versus our defense as opposed to giving them good field position, whether via a special teams play or a turnover, those types of things," he said. "So that's where we need to, as a team, understand how important it is to complement each other.
"It's a team game," he said. "It's the best team game there is, and we understand that it's never about one person. It's never about one side of the ball. We'll continue to play this that way."
Cameron Mitchell
Cameron Mitchell (Photo: Getty)