Cleveland Browns: 3 important storylines heading into 2022 training camp
By Greg Newland
Cleveland Browns Storyline No. 2 – How aggressive will the defense be?
Last year, Cleveland could never get in sync. The offense played well in the first half of the year, but the defense couldn’t stop anyone. Then the defense really tightened down the hatches at the end of the season, but the offense couldn’t move the ball to save their lives.
The fire will get hot under Joe Woods quickly if the defense fails to live up to expectations once again, as this will be his third year to fully install his dime defense featuring five defensive backs. With playmakers like Myles Garrett, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, and Denzel Ward at all three levels, the expectations are high for 2022.
When this defense performed best last year was when they were the aggressor. It sounds crazy but they had more busted coverages in a simple cover three or cover two defenses than I’ve ever seen in my life. Do you remember all the 30-plus yard touchdown passes to wide-open guys early in the year?
The Cincinnati game last year on the road was the one game where both sides completely clicked. Baker Mayfield had the offense in tune, and Woods turned up the heat on Joe Burrow and caused all kinds of turnovers.
I know it’s unrealistic to play like that every week, but that is the potential this Browns team has.