Tag: Ogbo Okoronkwo

Another metric shows how good the Browns’ defensive line has been

The defense continues to win up front early and often

It was clear this offseason that general manager Andrew Berry knew he had to improve the defensive line of the Cleveland Browns going into this season. Adding players like Za’Darius Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo at the disposal of defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has paid off so far. According to Warren Sharp, the Browns are leading the NFL in the shortest time from snap to quarterback pressure at an impressive 2.29 seconds.

They have put a ton of pressure on opposing quarterbacks to make a decision quickly not giving them time to scan the field much before throwing the ball. It has been fun to watch as Myles Garrett is having maybe his best season so far with another favorable matchup this week against the Cardinals who are starting a rookie at quarterback.

The talent Cleveland has at cornerback behind this defensive line only puts them in a position to succeed. This is one of the better defenses in all of football as they look to build on it against the Cardinals.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

3 Bold Browns predictions as Deshaun Watson returns vs. Cardinals

Can the offense finally put it all together for a dominant win?

The Browns are back in Cleveland after spending two weeks on the road as they welcome the Arizona Cardinals to town. Cleveland will have starting quarterback Deshaun Watson back on the field, of course, the question is if he is healthy or will it be a repeat of Indianapolis. The team has said all the right things this week about his return but what happens on the field Sunday is ultimately all that matters.

The Cardinals could be starting a rookie in Clayton Tune at quarterback and it could be a game where the Browns’ pass rush dominates. Coming off a week where they only had one sack the team must be chomping at the bit to set the tone early and often against Arizona.

This is a game where Cleveland is more talented on paper but as you know you can’t just expect to show up and win in the NFL. Here are my bold predictions for the week as the Browns look for their fifth win of the year.

Browns Injury Report: A flurry of injuries overwhelm Wednesday’s practice with Seahawks next

The Browns enter Week 8 quite banged up…

Sitting at 4-2, the Cleveland Browns are once again looking to shock the world as they will start P.J. Walker at quarterback against the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle, also sitting at 4-2, enters this matchup as banged up as the Browns, who were without tight end David Njoku, running back Kareem Hunt, and a laundry list of other players on Wednesday.

Dealing with injuries for the past four weeks, however, the Browns have managed to squeak out wins against the San Francisco 49ers and the Indianapolis Colts in back-to-back weeks. They will be looking for similar luck this week as they travel out west for a two-game road trip against the Seahawks this week, then the Arizona Cardinals the week after that.

Here is the full list of players that were either limited in practice or missed practice for the Browns as they prepare for their Week 8 showdown in the Pacific Northwest. With two days of practice left, let’s hope this trends in the right direction.

PFF’s 10 highest-graded Browns’ defensive players vs. 49ers

It was another great performance from the Browns defense

It has been a historic start to the season for the Cleveland Browns and their defense, who have thrived under defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. The rebuilt defensive line has been exceptional and elevated both the linebackers and the defensive backs. With the defensive line eating blocks Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has been all over the field showing the freak athlete he is game after game. It doesn’t take long when watch this defense to see that they play fast, aggressive, and smart.

They have been smothering in man coverage with Martin Emerson Jr. taking a big step forward in his second season.

It truly has been fun to watch this defense play and they went up against one of the NFL’s most potent offenses this year and held them under 20 points. Let’s take a look at the 10 players that stood out the most against the 49ers according to PFF and how they graded those players.

Browns: Jim Schwartz has defense off to a historic start in 2023

What a start for Jim Schwartz and his defense

What a start for defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and the defense of the Cleveland Browns through the first five games of the season. They went out and shut down one of the best offenses in football limiting them to only 17 points. The offense needed the defense to help them out with Deshaun Watson and Joel Bitonio, and boy did they deliver.

According to a stat posted after the game by the NFL on CBS, the Browns defense has allowed 1,002 yards total all season which is the lowest number through five games in over 50 years. That stat is also the third-fewest through five games in NFL history a truly historic start.

Andrew Berry rebuilt the defense line in the offseason and they have been terrific so far. Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson was fantastic against the 49ers and was in the backfield nearly every snap. Ogbo Okoronkwo was a forgotten man after the Za’Darius Smith trade but Ogbo has been great as both a pass rusher and run defender.

Martin Emerson Jr. got his first interception of his career and after another shutdown performance deserves more national recognition. Finally being kept clean with good defensive line play Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has shined as a fast athletic linebacker that erases running angles to make impact plays.

The OBR’s Cody Suek posted another great stat that the Browns have allowed only a 31.2% success rate through the first six weeks of the NFL season. Whatever way you cut it Schwartz’s unit is one of the league’s absolute best and they may be number one.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Podcast: Is the Browns’ defense the best in the NFL right now under Jim Schwartz?

Jim Schwartz has his defense playing as good as any right now

It has been a lot of fun to watch the defense of the Cleveland Browns under Jim Schwartz who has been downright dominant. Opposing offenses have converted only eight third downs in 41 tries which is a perfect 19.8%. They have been aggressive and smart and the defensive line is handling opposing offensive lines with relative ease.

According to ESPN’s Jake Trotter, the Browns defense ranks number one in efficiency. And PFF says the team has allowed -39 rushing yards before contact meaning consistently they are making contact with ball carriers in the backfield.

The night and day difference between the Browns’ defensive tackles defending the run and rushing the passer is incredible. Maurice Hurst finally healthy has shown he is an elite-level athlete with a great explosion off the line of scrimmage.

The team has only allowed one touchdown this season with 39 drivers which is impressive. According to Dan Murphy with the Browns PR team, the 491 total yards allowed through three games is the third-fewest in the NFL since 1970.

With the upgrades at defensive tackle and defensive end, the linebackers have flourished as they have been kept clean. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has been playing at a high level showing the speed and athleticism that made him a top prospect in the NFL Draft.

It was a down year for Denzel Ward last year and he played some of his best football against the Titans Sunday. This defense has some ridiculous stats and has been the best in the NFL through three games. You can hear about these topics and more by watching this week’s podcast by clicking here.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

PFF’s 10 highest-graded Browns’ defensive players vs. Steelers

It was another great showing for the defense of the Browns as Myles Garrett and Grant Delpit continue to grade out as elite.

The defense of the Cleveland Browns played more than good enough for the team to win this week’s matchup if not for mistakes made by the offense. Grant Delpit continued his impressive start with another great game, including an interception on the first drive and a fumble recovery in the first quarter as well against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Myles Garrett was Myles Garrett again in this one as well.

It was clear that the Steelers didn’t want to let the Browns’ pass rush and defensive line dictate the game as they utilized the short and quick passing game to limit the damage. The defensive tackle room has truly seen a complete turnaround as they continue to shut down the run and rush the passer.

Overall Jim Schwartz has his players playing at a high level to begin the season and if the offense can limit the mistakes moving forward this team can still make the playoffs. Let’s take a look at who PFF believes stood out the most against the Steelers.

Myles Garrett and the rest of the Browns defensive line dominated Cincinnati

The defensive line had Joe Burrow uncomfortable all game long

It has been well covered this offseason on the amount of talent general manager Andrew Berry collected around Myles Garrett on the defensive line for the Cleveland Browns. Sunday was the first season to see all of that talent together on the field and they did not disappoint. The team kept Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow under pressure and uncomfortable from the first snap when Za’Darius Smith hit him as he threw the ball incomplete.

The weather played a factor but according to PFF, Joe Burrow was pressured on 17 of his 33 dropbacks Sunday. That means the Browns’ defense pressured Burrow over half of the time he dropped back to throw. The Bengals were clearly trying to get rid of the ball quickly to try and neutralize the pass rush and if they weren’t there would’ve been even more pressure.

It was truly impressive to watch as Jim Schwartz was creative moving players around and creating mismatches to create pressure. He trusted his defensive backs who also played well in the blowout win. Let’s take a look at more of the numbers from the Browns’ defensive line.

4 Downs: Grant Delpit shines, Deshaun Watson leaves room for more as Browns beat Bengals

The Browns start the season 1-0 for the second straight years. What can we take away from this dominant showing against the Bengals?

The Cleveland Browns have won a Week 1 home opener for the first time since Jeff Garcia was the quarterback in 2004. While it was ugly in a rain-effected duel of lackluster play between Deshaun Watson and Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, Jim Schwartz made his name known. Myles Garrett, Grant Delpit, and others made a statement in this game against the back-to-back AFC North champs.

The Browns now start the season 1-0 in back-to-back seasons. It was not pretty offensively, but the Browns rode Nick Chubb to the finish line, as he rushed for 106 yards on 18 touches. Defensively, the Browns held the highest-paid professional athlete to just 82 yards on 14-of-31 passing as they sacked him twice as well in this slopfest.

What can we take away from this Week 1 victory today before we celebrate a victory Monday tomorrow? Welcome to the first 4 Downs of the 2023 regular season. It is good to be back.

PFF’s 10 highest-graded defensive players vs. Chiefs

The starters showed plenty to be excited about

When the defensive starters were on the field for the Cleveland Browns in Kansas City against the Chiefs, they gave fans plenty to look forward to. It started with former Chief Juan Thornhill breaking perfectly on a pass and returning it for a pick-six. Granted that wasn’t against Patrick Mahomes but it was still something nice to see from Thornhill.

The defensive line, again without Myles Garrett, showed exactly why some people think they can be a top-flight unit. All in all, there was plenty to like from the Browns and this is who stood out the most according to PFF in Saturday’s preseason finale.