BEREA, Ohio — Has the Browns’ defense’s luck finally turned with takeaways?
That’s the hope — as cornerback Denzel Ward has said before, takeaways tend to come in bunches and be contagious. That was certainly the case in Week 7 against the Miami Dolphins when Cleveland’s defense forced four turnovers and turned them into 21 points.
“I told you time was going to tell,” Ward said. “We were able to get some turnovers, we got to keep it going now, can’t get complacent or just let that just happen in that one game. So got to build on top of it and keep the turnovers coming and that’s going to help this team out ultimately like it did this past game.”
Against the Dolphins, Grant Delpit forced a fumble on a kick return that was recovered by fellow safety Rayshawn Jenkins. The drive that followed ended with 3-yard TD run by Quinshon Judkins off a direct snap.
In the third quarter, cornerback Tyson Campbell came away with a pick-six after a hard hit by Jenkins against Dolphins RB De’Von Achane.
Jenkins also had a fourth-quarter pick near the goal line. He got the ball to the Miami 2, and another direct snap to Judkins became a touchdown on the first play of the ensuing drive.
Safety Ronnie Hickman also had an interception in the fourth quarter.
Against the Dolphins, coordinator Jim Schwartz was more aggressive in his scheme. The Browns ran more blitzes, particularly utilizing Delpit’s ability to play downhill, and moved Myles Garrett around the D-line more, creating some unpredictability.
“I think he’s definitely been aggressive other games,” Ward said. “But yeah, definitely was aggressive this game as well with those blitzes. You’ve got to keep those in the package, keep those in there. I was liking them though.”
With the four takeaways in the game, Cleveland doubled its count to eight for the year, with six coming over their last three games after managing just two over their first four.
Their net turnover differential is now zero, and they have gone the last three weeks without coughing up the ball. It’s been an important turnaround after eight turnovers through their first four games for the struggling offense.
So what’s going to be key to keep the momentum rolling?
“I think, obviously you score 21 points off of four takeaways, that’s a great recipe for success,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “I think a big message for our defense, and I’m sure most defenses, is ‘do your job’. And you don’t go looking for an interception, or you use your technique when you’re tackling and the second guy in punches out.
”So, doing your job, the ball, you’ll be in position to make plays on the ball. And sometimes you have to wait for those opportunities to come, but you don’t go outside the framework of your defense.”
The Browns should have some opportunities to take the football against a Patriots team that has turned the ball over seven times. Five of those turnovers have been fumbles, and three of those fumbles have come from their top running back, Rhamondre Stevenson.
New England had five turnovers in Week 3 against the only other AFC North team they have faced this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Patriots lost that game 21-14, largely because they couldn’t hold onto the football.
And Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel acknowledged this week that the Browns defense, which ranks first in terms of yards allowed (256.1), is the best one they’ve played so far this year.
Vrabel may be more qualified to speak on that than anyone, after serving in Cleveland as a consultant last year.
“I think just statistically and play style,” he told New England reporters on Wednesday. “They’re playing at a high level. They’re playing with a lot of confidence. It’s a lot of speed, lot of disruption. They don’t give you a whole lot of time to make decisions. There’s enough changeups in there that you just have to be good, you have to be sound, and you can’t hold on to the ball.”
The Browns finally showed how dangerous their defense can be when turnovers start coming their way.
Now the challenge is proving it wasn’t a one-week surge, but the start of a habit — one they hope the Patriots game will help reinforce.
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