Cleveland Browns backup defensive backs impress against Rams

The Cleveland Browns were without their entire starting secondary against the Rams, but the backup defensive backs impressed in the tough situation.

Despite the Cleveland Browns‘ disappointing defeat at the hands of defending NFC champion Los Angeles Rams, the Browns backup defensive backs deserve great credit. They were not outstanding, but under the circumstances, namely playing the high-flying, prolific offense of the Los Angeles Rams, the defensive backs and coaching staff exceeded expectations.

Eric Murray, T.J. Carrie, Terrance Mitchell, Juston Burris and Jermaine Whitehead all played 100 percent of the 66 defensive snaps. Of that fabulous five, Whitehead is the only true regular, while Carrie and Murray also get in on a number of plays. But Mitchell has been riding pine, and Burris was a Oakland Raider last week.

The Browns were lucky to be able to claim Burris on waivers because he had been with the team in summer camp and knew the playbook. The Raiders had signed Burris but let him go just in time for him to start for the Browns and pick off Jared Goff.

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It is not as if the Browns channeled the 1985 Chicago Bears defense. They did not shut down Goff, but they did hold him to 269 yards, intercepted him twice and limited him to a passer rating of 79.8. That is not horrible, but to put it into perspective, Johnny Manziel put up a 79.4 rating in 2015 and he is not going to Canton.

Goff is a two-time Pro Bowler who put up outstanding numbers last year in leading the Rams to the Super Bowl. He threw for 4,688 yards, with 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, with a passer rating of 101.1. Plus he has three healthy wide receivers this year. Holding that team under 300 yards passing is not bad, particularly on a day when the guys up front were able to contain the Rams’ running game, limiting Todd Gurley to 43 yards on 14 attempts for a 3.1 yards-per-carry average.

Carrie led the Browns with six solo tackles, seven total tackles and also contributed two passes defensed and an interception, in which he outfought Brandin Cooks for a diving catch. It might be that Goff threw low on purpose, believing that only Cooks would have a chance for the ball. Cooks pulled in 80 balls for 1,204 yards last year, so he is not an easy man to cover.

Burris in particular was outstanding, having had only a few days to re-familiarize himself with the Browns’ defensive playbook. His interception came late in the fourth quarter after a tipped pass from Joe Schobert and gave the Browns a chance for a late comeback, though of course they did not convert. Burris added four tackles and a pass defensed on top of the interception.

In addition to the defensive backs, linebacker Mack Wilson got a chance to play and it may be a while before he sits down. He was a major force in shutting down the run game, and he almost contributed a diving interception as well.

All in all, it was a very impressive performance by the second string. Browns fans, though very disappointed by the loss and a lackluster offense versus the tough Rams, should be excited about the depth in the secondary. It is only going to get better when the regulars come back.

Those of us who questioned the 4-2-5 alignment of defensive coordinator Steve Wilks had many of those concerns answered versus the Rams.