3 Browns defenders that balled out in win vs Houston

Defensive standout No. 2: Sione Takitaki

This is a bittersweet entry on this list of defensive standouts from Week 13. Sione Takitaki has been one of the brighter spots on the Browns entire roster in 2022. Takitaki entered his fourth NFL season as one of the better Sam linebackers in the league.

As the season unfolded and the Browns lost Mike linebacker after Mike linebacker, Takitaki began taking more reps manning the middle of the defense. After a few games it was clear that Takitaki was the man for the gig.

Takitaki’s role expansion began on Halloween against Cincinnati, which also coincides with the improvement of Cleveland’s run defense. Over the five game span since taking over at Mike, Takitaki racked up 47 total tackles including a forced fumble and a sack.

On Sunday against Houston, Takitaki led the Browns with nine total tackles. Even though he wasn’t credited with the forced fumble that Denzel Ward returned for a touchdown, if you look closely at the play, Takitaki was the player that jarred the ball loose on the botched quarterback sneak.

Unfortunately, this list entry has a sad ending. Takitaki tore his ACL covering a punt late in the game and will miss the remainder of the season. Only time will tell what the future holds for Takitaki as he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the season’s end.