5 things the Cleveland Browns must do to find success in 2015
By Thomas Moore
Dec 14, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovani Bernard (25) runs versus the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Bengals won 30-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
We’re going to put on the broken record here, because until the Browns consistently stop the run on defense, nothing is going to change.
Last season, the defense was last in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game, 27th in yards per carry, and 28th in runs of 20-plus yards. Opposing teams ran the ball 500 times on the Browns last year, and on 87 of those rushes they gained eight yards or more.
The defense only held opposing offenses to fewer than 100 rushing yards four times all season, gave up more than 150 rushing yards six times, and more than 200 yards three times.
Related: Browns 2015 Position Preview – Defensive Line
“We want to be a bully on defense. To be a bully on defense, you have to stop the run. To win in the AFC North, you have to stop the run.” – Defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil
The struggles against the run was reflected in the standings. In the Browns’ nine losses they gave up an average of 163 rushing yards per game. But in their seven wins, that number was cut to 114 yards a game, which if the Browns could have maintained that for an entire season would have placed them 20th in the league and possibly led to some additional wins.
With seven of the team’s 10 highest paid players being on the defensive side of the ball, not being able to stop the run simply has to change.
“Stopping the run leads to a lot of things,” defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil told The Beacon Journal. “It leads to more turnovers [and] more sacks because you’re putting offenses in more predictable situations. It leads to less plays on the field, which leads to less injuries when you’re not out there as much. Then it also leads to more possessions for our offense, which means more points.”
Stop the run, get the ball back to the offense and good things may follow. It really could be that simple.
Which leads us to our next point.
Next: Win the Fourth Quarter