The Cleveland Browns defense has been a good unit so far this season, making the team’s five wins possible because of its ability to keep offenses in check. However, the unit does have one major issue that is becoming hard to ignore.
Cleveland’s defense can’t stop the run.
That was on full display during the Browns’ Week 8 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. With Cleveland losing 27-6, the team was doomed on all fronts, but the Browns definitely didn’t stand a chance since they couldn’t stop the run. The Steelers ran the ball 33 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 6.1 yards a carry.
In the first half alone, Cleveland allowed Pittsburgh running back Jaylen Warren to rush for 102 yards on 10 carries, while his running mate Rico Dowdle went for 57 yards and a touchdown on seven carries. Teams aren’t going to win many games when they’re being dominated on the ground like that.
It’d be great to say this was just a bad day and a one-off for a good Browns defense, but that wouldn’t be accurate. Cleveland has struggled against the run all year, and it won’t be the defense’s only issue if it continues.
Browns’ defense must be better against the run
Sunday was, by far, Cleveland’s worst outing against the run, but the defense has now given up over 125 rushing yards in five of its eight games. What’s really concerning is that the defense’s worst two games against the run are in the last two weeks. The Browns allowed the Tennessee Titans to rush for 141 yards in Week 7, and followed up with the Steelers going for 200.
That speaks to how struggling against the run is the kind of issue that has a snowball effect. If it isn’t quickly addressed, things will only get worse, and it will start to create other problems. Defenses become so focused on trying to slow down the run that they start to struggle against the pass as well, and before they know it, they are just an overall bad unit.
Cleveland can’t afford for that to happen. Obviously, the Browns aren’t built to win games without a defense that makes life hard for its opponents. So while the Browns have been a solid defense overall, they must quickly find a way to stop the run before things really start to go downhill.
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