Looking ahead, the schedule gets a little easier. After traveling to the freshly rested 3-1 Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns host a struggling Miami Dolphins team, then travel to New England to take on the Patriots, and then out to Las Vegas to play the Raiders. If the Browns are going to turn their season around, the defense needs to remain elite.
Collins will have to continue dominating guards and centers, and Schwartz will need to keep dialing up the right pressures. More importantly, the offense needs to reward this effort by sustaining drives and putting points on the board. If that happens, Cleveland’s defense might carry them into the playoff hunt despite a rocky start.
For now, Collins has given Browns fans a reason to cheer. He’s a reminder that free‑agent signings can still move the needle. While the front office figures out what to do at quarterback and how to jump‑start an offense that has looked lifeless, the defense will keep punching opposing teams in the mouth. In a season defined by frustration, sometimes that’s all you need.