The main storyline emerging out of the Cleveland Browns’ victory over the Chicago Bears focuses on a rookie. Quarterback Justin Fields.
But a better storyline might be what we saw from another rookie to take the field Sunday, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.
The rookie, making his second NFL start, turned in an impressive performance on Sunday as the Browns defense throttled Fields in his first NFL start. Cleveland held Fields to just six completions on 20 attempts for a mere 68 yards, and when you factor in the 67 yards lost when Fields was sacked, the Chicago passing game accounted for a single yard yesterday.
Three feet.
Not much.
Fields was sacked nine times by the Browns, with 4.5 of those coming from Myles Garrett as the pass rusher set a franchise record for sacks in a single game. Yet in just his second start, it was the rookie linebacker who was making plays at multiple levels of the field, both against the run and in the passing game.
After the win, head coach Kevin Stefanski summed up his play rather succinctly: “I would have to look at it, but I am going to guess he was running around making plays.”
Well put.
Let’s dive into Owusu-Koramoah’s game against the Bears, starting with what he did against the run, and then looking at how he contributed when Fields put the ball in the air.