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Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has a history with New York Giants head coach Joe Judge and knows what to expect from his team on Sunday night. But it’s what defensive coordinator Patrick Graham does that keeps Stefanski up at night.
While speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Stefanski acknowledged that the Giants may be the best disguise defense the Browns will play all season.
“They do a really nice job. Coach Graham, I have a ton of respect for him,” Stefanski said. “They play multiple fronts. They play them all well. They vary in coverages. Really, really good at disguise. Maybe the best team that we play in terms of disguising their coverage. They are a sound defense that does multiple things, which is hard to pull off.”
That will work against Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield, who has struggled at times recognizing defenses.
“[Mayfield] works very hard it,” Stefanski said. “(Offensive coordinator) Alex Van Pelt and all of the quarterbacks spend a lot of time grinding on that tape so that they can understand the different looks and try and get a few clues to what they are seeing. That comes from film study and then being diligent about your work out there on the practice field.”
No matter how much film is consumed, Stefanski recognizes that these Giants just do it better than most. And that’s not just a credit to Graham, but also his two veteran safeties — Logan Ryan and Jabrill Peppers — who are playing the best football of their careers.
“For any quarterback when you are playing a defense, when you pull that ball or when you get the ball in the shotgun, you have to confirm what is going on post-snap,” Stefanski said. “Their safeties are savvy veterans that are trying to give you one look and play another so you have to confirm what is going on with all those indicators that you can get pre-snap. You have to confirm it post-snap.”
Mayfield and Van Pelt versus Graham, Ryan and Peppers is certainly a matchup worth watching on Sunday night. In fact, it may ultimately determine the outcome of the game.
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