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Cleveland Browns: Things won’t be much easier for secondary against Bengals

By Sam Penix

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 13: Willie Snead IV #83 of the Baltimore Ravens catches a pass for a touchdown against Tavierre Thomas #20 of the Cleveland Browns during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 13: Willie Snead IV #83 of the Baltimore Ravens catches a pass for a touchdown against Tavierre Thomas #20 of the Cleveland Browns during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 13: Mark Andrews #89 of the Baltimore Ravens catches a pass for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 13: Mark Andrews #89 of the Baltimore Ravens catches a pass for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

The Cleveland Browns secondary won’t have it any easier in Week 2

The Cleveland Browns secondary was torn to shreds by Lamar Jackson in Week 1. Things get easier in Week 2, but not by much.

Defense was expected to be the weaker side of the ball for the Browns in 2020, and while the offense failed to do much and took most of the heat following the Week 1 loss, the defense was just as bad. They did hold the Baltimore Ravens to just 107 rushing yards, but Jackson torched Cleveland through the air, completing 20 of 25 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns. The team was missing three starters in the secondary, and while two are expected to be back relatively soon, it doesn’t look like that will be for Browns vs. Bengals.

Neither Kevin Johnson nor Greedy Williams has practiced this week, and Grant Delpit is out for the year with a torn Achilles. No defensive back played all that well on Sunday, and Andrew Sendejo and Tavierre Thomas had disastrous performances. Both players finished with a coverage grade below 40, per Pro Football Focus.

Given how unproven the linebackers are in coverage, the safeties have more responsibility, and neither Sendejo nor Karl Joseph was up to the challenge. One of the pair appeared responsible for a gaffe that allowed Baltimore tight end Mark Andrews to get wide open in the back of the end zone for his first score of the game.

The Bengals are not the Ravens, and put up just 13 points in Week 1 (pot, meet kettle), but with how banged-up and discombobulated the Browns secondary is, they cannot afford to overlook Cincy.

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