7 hours ago
Oct 5 in London...not to look past the Steelers in Dublin, but...these are the Packer killers, now.
The Browns’ defense is legitimate
While the Browns almost certainly will not be relevant to the playoff race, their fast, bruising, complex defense could make them a spoiler all season long. Cleveland claimed its first victim Sunday with a stunning, 13-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers, who entered as a burgeoning juggernaut on 10 days’ rest. The Browns did not score until the fourth quarter, but their defense kept them within reach. They won, ultimately, because Shelby Harris blocked the Packers’ go-ahead field goal try with 27 seconds left and then rookie Andre Szmyt nailed a 55-yarder as time expired.
The Browns' defense harassed Jordan Love throughout their upset win over the Packers.
No matter how the final sequence played out, Cleveland’s defense had proved it will be a force this year. Myles Garrett is an unblockable menace off the edge. Coordinator Jim Schwartz is still one of the best defensive play callers in the NFL. Rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger, a second-round pick, is a sideline-to-sideline missile and a demon on the blitz.
The Browns have high-end individual talent, and the pieces fit together. They shut down Joe Burrow in Week 1 and mostly stifled Lamar Jackson in Week 2 despite the Baltimore Ravens’ 41 points. On Sunday, they limited the Packers to 3.8 yards per play and held Jordan Love to 183 passing yards. Cleveland may be a flaming dumpster of an organization, but its defense is — no kidding — a Super Bowl-caliber unit.
The Browns’ defense is legitimate
While the Browns almost certainly will not be relevant to the playoff race, their fast, bruising, complex defense could make them a spoiler all season long. Cleveland claimed its first victim Sunday with a stunning, 13-10 victory over the Green Bay Packers, who entered as a burgeoning juggernaut on 10 days’ rest. The Browns did not score until the fourth quarter, but their defense kept them within reach. They won, ultimately, because Shelby Harris blocked the Packers’ go-ahead field goal try with 27 seconds left and then rookie Andre Szmyt nailed a 55-yarder as time expired.
The Browns' defense harassed Jordan Love throughout their upset win over the Packers.
No matter how the final sequence played out, Cleveland’s defense had proved it will be a force this year. Myles Garrett is an unblockable menace off the edge. Coordinator Jim Schwartz is still one of the best defensive play callers in the NFL. Rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger, a second-round pick, is a sideline-to-sideline missile and a demon on the blitz.
The Browns have high-end individual talent, and the pieces fit together. They shut down Joe Burrow in Week 1 and mostly stifled Lamar Jackson in Week 2 despite the Baltimore Ravens’ 41 points. On Sunday, they limited the Packers to 3.8 yards per play and held Jordan Love to 183 passing yards. Cleveland may be a flaming dumpster of an organization, but its defense is — no kidding — a Super Bowl-caliber unit.