The Cleveland Browns are starting a two-game homestand. Up first is the Los Angeles Chargers. Here are 3 areas the Browns need to improve on in Week 5.
The sky is not falling, and the plane has not crashed into the mountain. It’s easy to get caught up in being a prisoner of the moment, but everything the Cleveland Browns want to do in 2022 is still right in front of them. Obviously only being 2-2 after the ‘easy’ part of their schedule is not ideal, but the reality is that no team in the AFC North has separated themselves from the pack.
Cleveland is beginning a two-game homestand, and first on the docket is the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers are also 2-2 and desperately need a win to stay in the thick of things in the AFC. Both teams come into this Week 5 contest dealing with serious injuries to major contributors. But, contrary to public perception, there is a clear path to victory for the Browns this week.
It won’t take a flawless performance, but there are a few areas that the Browns will need to improve upon if they want to have a shot of revenging their Week 5 loss to the Chargers in 2021. Here are three areas the Browns need to improve on if they want a shot at getting to 3-2.
3 areas where the Cleveland Browns must improve vs Chargers
Area of improvement No. 3: Generating pressure
When it comes to Cleveland’s pass rush, it begins and ends with Myles Garrett. How could it not? The Browns have the most physically gifted edge rusher in the entire league, and perhaps the most physically gifted player in the entire league.
But, as we all know, Garrett was involved in a single-car crash that sidelined the defensive end against the Falcons. All signs are pointing toward Garrett making his return this Sunday against the Chargers. So, problem solved? Well, not so fast.
Of course, Garrett returning does nothing but help Cleveland’s ability to rush the passer. But Garrett’s return only highlights this team’s real pass-rushing issue. Garrett is the ultimate math changer at defensive end, simply due to the sheer number of offensive personnel that is needed to focus on him. Garrett is double-teamed at a higher rate than any other defensive player in the league and might be the only player that occasionally gets triple-teamed.
But despite all that extra attention, no other defensive lineman has been able to take advantage of their one-on-one matchups. That can not be the case against the Chargers. Someone not named Myles Garrett is going to have to affect Herbert’s comfort in the pocket or they don’t stand a chance. Even if Cleveland’s defensive backs are all dialed in and are playing assignment-sound football, it is impossible to guard wide receivers for over four or five seconds in the NFL.
Joe Woods was able to manufacture pressure against the Falcons by running exotic linebacker blitzes and utilizing stunts up front. But that game plan won’t work on Herbert. Those types of blitz calls all come down to risk versus reward, and the risk is too great against Herbert.
The Browns need to be able to consistently generate an organic pass rush to speed up Herbert’s clock. If Jadeveon Clowney is able to return from his ankle injury, it could provide the spark this defensive front needs to take things up a notch and get after Herbert. But as of now, Clowney has yet to return to practice so the Browns can’t put all of their eggs in that basket.
Regardless, it can’t come down to just Garrett. It’s past time for someone on the interior to step up and prove to be a pass-rushing threat. Perrion Winfrey, I’m looking at you.
Area of improvement No. 2: Redzone efficiency
Many fans won’t want to hear what I am about to say. This week, it comes down to getting seven instead of three in every red zone appearance. After how last week’s game in Atlanta played out, that might be a hard statement to swallow.
Due to the explosive nature of the Chargers’ offense, the Browns can’t trade possessions with Los Angeles swapping field goals for touchdowns. If the offense cracks the 10-yard line, they must walk away with seven points on every trip. But Cleveland needs to stay true to their strengths in order to make that happen.
Last week, the Browns found themselves with only 10 points despite several trips inside the 10. Against the Chargers, that outcome would be a death sentence and could lead to getting boat raced on your own field. But how should the Browns approach the red zone this week that could lead to a more favorable result?
Well, first off, they need to lean into who they are offensively and make the Chargers stop them as opposed to stopping themselves. This entire offense is based upon being able to run the ball. So regardless of whether it is going to be a run or a pass, it has to look like a run. That is especially true in the red zone where the field is already condensed.
Cleveland should also utilize the threat that Jacoby Brissett brings with his ability to effectively run quarterback sneaks. In order to do that, Brissett will need to execute one or two sneaks early to establish it in the minds of the Chargers’ defenders. That threat will cause the defensive tackles to pinch inside and open up rush lanes on the edges.
Lastly, maximize your personnel. The Browns should be playing Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt at the same time, especially inside the 10-yard line. Even if it ends up being a play-action pass, just the presence of Chubb and Hunt will stress the Chargers’ defense out and open up opportunities for your other weapons. The Browns’ efficiency inside the 10 will likely decide their fate on Sunday.
Area of improvement No. 1: 4th quarter defense
Easily the most frustrating element of the first quarter of the Browns’ season has been the play of their defense. The frustrations are multi-layered. The largest frustration is that this unit, which returned all of its major contributors and the entire coaching staff, did not pick up where it left off in 2021.
All of that continuity and the defense look like they did at the start of 2021, which is a kind way of saying they look like a mediocre unit. After four games, there is a large enough sample size to properly evaluate a unit’s effectiveness. Well through four games, the Browns are giving up 23.8 points per game. That ranks 19th in the NFL.
But when you look deeper at the points the Browns have given up, there is an alarming trend. Through the first three-quarters of games, they’ve surrendered 45 points. Despite how you might feel about the unit, giving up 11.25 points through three quarters is more than adequate.
However, the Browns have given up 50 points in the fourth quarter alone. How could a defense give up more points in the fourth quarter than they have through the previous three quarters combined? It is not like they’re up three scores and these are garbage time points, these are the most meaningful minutes of the game.
Not to mention, these 50 fourth-quarter points were being scored by offenses with less than exceptional quarterback play. This week the Browns welcome Justin Herbert to FirstEnergy Stadium. If they do not button up their fourth quarter defensive strategy and play calls, Herbert will expose and exploit those weaknesses.
The Browns are dealing with injuries on their defensive line, however, their secondary is fully intact. The spotlight is going to be on Joe Woods to have the back end ready for the aerial attack they are about to go up against. There is zero room for communication errors or blown assignments against Los Angeles.
The Chargers are not playing their best football, but how you play against elite quarterbacks is the measuring stick for whether a defense is good enough or not. Make no mistake, Herbert is elite. There is not a throw he can’t make or a defensive back that he won’t test.
This defense needs to step up and show out, especially in the fourth quarter. If not, the fans that are chanting for Joe Woods to get the axe could become deafening.