Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) sacks Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) during the second quarter in Cleveland, Ohio, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023.
Before the 2023 season, there were many people who thought the Cleveland Browns defense would improve. Players like Za’Darius Smith were brought in to help out Myles Garrett and new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had a track record of coaching successful defenses. Nobody thought they would be this good. Through the first six weeks of the season, the Cleveland Browns defense has been suffocating opponents.
Cleveland Browns Defense
This unit emerged on the national stage after they handled the San Francisco 49ers offense on Sunday. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is the standard for the modern NFL offense and the Browns defense shut them down. While some people will point out that Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel got injured and the weather was bad, the fact of the matter is that the Browns have been doing this to every opponent in 2023.
Cleveland Browns Defense By The Numbers
Through five games, the Browns have allowed 1,002 yards of offense (200.4 per game). This is the fewest any NFL team has yielded through five games in over 50 years. This isn’t just good by modern standards. This is historic. To put this in historical context, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens defense led by Ray Lewis gave up 245.2 yards per game through the first five games. The Cleveland Browns defense blows that number out of the water. It isn’t just yards that are hard to come by. It is points as well.
The Browns have only given up 77 points total but even that is deceptive. 14 of those points came off turnovers in the Pittsburgh game and another 14 came on the play after a turnover that started the opponent in the red zone. Basically, these points are less about the defense and more about the offense. No matter how good of a defense a team has, when the opponent starts at the 15-yard line, points will likely be given up. If the offense doesn’t screw up, the defense makes it tough for opponents to score.
Doing It Without Impact Plays
What makes the Cleveland Browns defense more suffocating is the fact that they are doing all of this without impact plays. Sacks and turnovers are huge for defenses. We have seen defenses have one-year performances because of turnover luck but that isn’t sustainable. Sacks are in the same category. They are dependent on who you are playing and when. While the Browns are getting these plays here and there, it isn’t the identity of the defense.
The Browns have 15 sacks on the season which puts them right in the middle of the pack in terms of rankings. Sitting at 15th in the league they are right above the league average. In turnovers, the Cleveland Browns defense ranks 31st in total takeaways. You read that right. With just 2 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries on the season, the Cleveland Browns defense ranks just ahead of the New England Patriots in terms of turnovers. Digging deeper into this only makes the defense more impressive.
Turnover Numbers
The Browns are also 31st in turnover differential sitting at -8 currently. Cleveland’s offense is tied for second with the Raiders for most turnovers on the season (12) which is one behind the league leader Minnesota Vikings. This means the offense is doing no favors for the defense. The unit is often put in difficult situations and they still are not giving up points. Every other team around the Browns on the list is currently picking in the top ten of next year’s draft. If the offense can have positive regression on the turnovers, this team could be one that no one wants to play in late December.
The Cleveland Browns defense is becoming a must-watch. They are on a historic pace and if they keep it up, they could go down as one of the best defenses ever in the NFL. If the offense can find its rhythm, this could be a scary sleeper team come playoff time.
