The Browns defense gelled down the stretch, allowing under 250 total yards in six of the team’s final seven games. One of the big, and underappreciated, reasons was the play of versatile defensive back M.J. Stewart.
Stewart played a prominent role in the final weeks, starting three games and seeing significant action in two others. And in those games, Stewart proved to be fantastic in coverage. In fact, no safety earned a better coverage grade from Pro Football Focus in the final seven weeks of the season than Stewart did for Cleveland.
Stewart checked in with an 87.3 coverage grade from PFF, ranking first from Week 11 through Week 18. Again, he only played in the final five games but earned enough snaps to qualify.
Interestingly, Sam Penix of PFF points out that fellow Browns safety Grant Delpit was fourth in coverage grades for safeties in the same time period.
PFF Coverage grade ranks among all NFL safeties from Week 11 on:
1. M.J. Stewart – 87.3
4. Grant Delpit – 81.7#Browns pic.twitter.com/erXee9bhg0
— Sam Penix (@Sam_Penix) January 27, 2022
Stewart finished the season on a high note when the team needed it. After some struggles to find a role, the pending free agent flourished when inserted into the lineup in a stable position.