BEREA, Ohio — What’s it like for Myles Garrett to watch opposing pass rushers pin their ears back and go with a two- or three-score lead?
“Must be nice,” a frustrated Garrett quipped after Cleveland’s 23-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It’s a feeling Garrett and Co. haven’t gotten to experience much this season, as the Browns have fallen to 1-5.
Through six games, Cleveland has played with a lead for only 17 minutes and 46 seconds. In three games they never led: Week 2 against the Ravens, Week 6 against the Steelers, and an anomaly Week 3 victory over the Packers in which Andre Szmyt’s walk-off field goal as time expired gave Cleveland its first lead of the day.
In a Week 1 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Browns led for only 4 minutes and 32 seconds. Against the Lions they led for only 2:16 after Quinshon Judkins scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter, but the defense gave up a TD on the ensuing drive and Cleveland never led again.
The longest Cleveland has led in any individual game this year came in the Week 5 London showdown against the Minnesota Vikings: 10 minutes and 58 seconds.
The defense has still been one of the best units in the league: they currently rank third in both total yards allowed (262.3) and rushing yards allowed (79.7), are seventh in passing yards allowed (182.7) and are second allowing only 15.7 first downs per game.
But where they have struggled is in creating game-changing plays and takeaways.
The Browns have only four total takeaways this season, tied for 23rd in the league. In three games against the Bengals, Ravens and Steelers, Cleveland had zero takeaways.
“We’re not pointing any fingers or anything else because there’s plenty of things that we can do to turn the ball over to score on defense, if we can change that,” coordinator Jim Schwartz said. “It’s just, it’s real life. Like, if you don’t have the lead, quarterback doesn’t have to hold the ball very long. If they don’t feel the need to put the ball in dangerous places to try to make a play, then your opportunity to get interceptions is now down.
“We need to take care of our own selves, we need to play better on third down, we need to play better in the red zone. But, yeah, that is a dynamic that exists. That’s not pointing the finger at anybody. That’s just the way it is.”
Schwartz is right to some extent. For as good as the Browns defense has been, the red zone and third-down numbers have been the problem areas.
Opposing offenses are converting 80% of red zone attempts against them, ranking Cleveland last. They’re ranked 27th on third-down defense, with opponents having a 42.5% conversion rate.
And the Browns defense may not want to point fingers, but it’s undeniable that the offense isn’t doing them many favors.
Cleveland is only scoring 13.7 points per game, a league-worst — they haven’t put up more than 20 points since last year’s Dec. 2 loss to the Denver Broncos.
They are averaging only 4.6 passing yards per play (ranked 31st) and 3.86 rushing yards per play (ranked 26th).
With little help from their own offense, the Cleveland defense is forced to play more conservatively than they would like to.
“I feel like we’ve kind of been on our heels a little bit being in a tight defense,” safety Grant Delpit said. “So look, I mean whatever situation we’re in, it is what it is. We’ve gotta go out there and contribute and produce, really.
“It doesn’t matter if we’re playing behind or whatever. If we’re not producing, we’re not producing. So I think that’s been a common theme us playing from behind. We’ve just got to be comfortable being uncomfortable at this point.”
Could this week be a chance to get right for the Cleveland offense and finally help the D?
The 1-5 Miami Dolphins are coming to town and are giving up a league-worst 168.5 rushing yards per game. There should be opportunities for rookie Quinshon Judkins, especially because the weather is supposed to be windy and rainy on the lakefront.
It could go a long way to helping out the defense — but at the same time, the defense knows all they can do is worry about their own jobs.
“I think for us, every time we go out there, really we can’t let them get the lead to start,” Carson Schwesinger said. “I think that’s the easiest way is just don’t let them score points.”
For now, though, the Browns defense remains caught in a frustrating loop — playing well enough to keep the team in games, but not getting the help it needs to change them. Until the offense gives them a lead to protect, Cleveland’s best unit will keep fighting uphill.
And Garrett’s right — it would be nice not to have to.
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