DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Film Room: Browns Defense

Everything you and Dep said is true in my opinion. Good football talk, guys!!!

The other things that are important in my mind is to improve the depth and increase the team speed. We did get faster this year, but I want an even faster D. I also have confidence that Dorsey will continue to improve the roster.

LOL, this convo is bringing back some bad memories for me.

One year, I was captain of my Pee-Wee football team's defense. I played MLB, but could line up anywhere from NT to deep safety and coach let me call the plays on defense.

We gave up only 1 TD and lost 2 games that year.

You read that right, we lost one game to a safety.

We lost our main QB week one and our back-up QB week 3, so needless to say our defense was on the field a lot that season.

Wow!

Good stat there in regards to passer rating allowed.

The Browns are talented on the line and in the secondary. The secondary is a key difference compared to last year.

In the modern NFL, with all the rules designed to protect QBs and receivers, you really have to have some talent in the secondary to reliably get stops. This is especially true against the best teams.

We see how Brady is a master at getting the ball out quickly, he moves around in the pocket very well, Roethlisberger has always been a beast to bring down. Obviously you need a pass rush too but it's usually not going to get there in time.. you need guys on the back end who can actually cover.

This is where the additions of Ward, Randall, Carrie, Gaines, and the improvement of Peppers has really helped. Avery has been a nice addition as a situational pass rusher. There are others of course.. this defense doesn't really have any obvious holes like the offense does.

It'll be interesting to see how the defense develops going forward. If you're John Dorsey and looking to improve this defense in the off-season and have limited resources (because most picks/free agents are going toward offense), what do you prioritize? Run stuffing DT, Linebacker, Second corner? All of the above?

I think that getting Mitchell back for the stretch run should help.

Props to Williams for keeping Carrie inside and moving Randle to CB and BBC to FS last Sunday.

Carrie has been more effective for us inside than outside ... better than BBC imo.

That was a good move.

Larry Ogunjobi: The best defensive lineman you don’t yet know

https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/2018/...rry-ogunjobi/3/

The Browns stand at 2-4-1, they’ve had more than their share of gut-punch losses this season, and head coach Hue Jackson is talking about taking responsibility away from offensive coordinator Todd Haley. This current dumpster fire is a relative improvement over the 2017 dumpster fire that led to the second 0-16 season in NFL history, letting the 2008 Lions off the hook.

But under all those negative narratives is one encouraging truth—Cleveland’s pass defense is among the league’s best and most consistent. Coming into Week 7, the Browns ranked third in Football Outsiders’ opponent-adjusted pass defense metrics, and sixth overall. One can have issues with defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ concepts at times (like putting his safeties 20 yards off the ball in traditional rushing situations) and still understand that this Cleveland team is building something special on the defensive side of the ball.

Among the most important reasons for that improvement is second-year nose tackle Larry Ogunjobi, selected in the third round of the 2017 draft out of Charlotte. The first draft pick in school history, Olumide (the name means “Our savior has come”) Ogunjobi was born a year after his parents moved to America from Nigeria, and he wasn’t into football until he hit high school. Once he did, though, Ogunjobi started to impress, and he’s now one of the NFL’s best players at his position.

Nose tackles aren’t generally racking up pressure numbers—more often, they’re taking on double teams so that the guys around them can share the stardom. But in Williams’ defense, even when he’s head-up over the center, the 6-foot-3, 305-pound Ogunjobi is a highly disruptive presence. Yes, he has the leverage and root strength to be a hole-plugger in the middle, but he also has the gap quickness and forward momentum to create havoc from multiple angles.

Per Pro Football Focus, among interior defensive linemen in 2018, Ogunjobi ranks sixth in total pressures with 26, behind Aaron Donald, Fletcher Cox, Geno Atkins, DeForest Bucker, and Ndamukong Suh, and he’s playing at a level that proves that he belongs among those names.

This sack of Jameis Winston in Cleveland’s 26-23 overtime loss against the Buccaneers last Sunday shows a quickness you don’t expect from a nose tackle. Ogunjobi is head-up on center Ryan Jensen (No. 66), but that’s not where he stays—as linebacker Genard Avery (No. 55) takes a double team with an inside move, Ogunjobi moves outside right guard Caleb Benenoch (No. 77) and closes quickly to the quarterback. To run a stunt like this, you have to trust that your nose tackle will explode across the gaps. Ogunjobi proves worthy of that trust.


This sack of Philip Rivers in the Chargers’ 38-14 win over the Browns shows another aspect of Ogunjobi’s explosiveness. This is a five-man blitz with linebacker Joe Schobert (No. 53) looping outside the right tackle, and Ogunjobi taking left guard Michael Schofield III (No. 75) to the cleaners. Schofield thinks he has Ogunjobi pushed outside the pocket, but Ogunjobi recovers and uses the momentum of the push to shoot himself right to Rivers, taking him down with Schobert’s help.


Ogunjobi didn’t register a sack in Cleveland’s 12-9 Week 5 win over the Ravens, but he blew up several Joe Flacco passing attempts. On this second-quarter near-sack and incompletion, the Ravens make a major mistake—they fail to block Ogunjobi at all. Left guard Alex Lewis pulls to the right side to block end Emmanuel Ogbah (No. 90), and center Matt Skura (No. 68) pushed end Myles Garrett out of the play. That’s all well and good, but right guard Marshal Yanda (No. 73) doesn’t get to Ogunjobi in time, and it’s an easy pressure as Ogunjobi blasts through to the pocket.


“Just the ability to play more and understanding and recognizing the different blocks and being able to rush the passer better,” Ogunjobi recently said about his development from his rookie year into his second season. “My offseason training, I really focused on pass rush. I always felt like I could run stopper, but I wanted to be able to be good at the pass, too. That way, I could be able to get to get after the quarterback I feel like with just me being on the field more and me just paying attention to detail.”

Having already doubled his pressure total from 2017 in just seven games and establishing himself as a key cog in a quick-developing defense, Larry Ogunjobi is seeing that hard work pay off.

Browns defense has taken a big step forward. But they have been on the field a ton. Have gone to OT in 4 games & played more snaps than any other NFL defense by 34. Now visit #Steelers after playing season-high 95 snaps (includes penalties) in Week 7. PIT is coming off its bye.

Related: Larry "Ironman" Ogunjobi has played almost 100 more snaps than any other defensive tackle in the league.

https://twitter.com/evansilva/status/1054846779735326721

I enjoy watching our D because they make plays. I think it’s the way to go the way the NFL is being pushed into a pass happy, high scoring league. You will give up chunks and TDs but if you can win the turn over battle you are way more likely to win*

Garrett, Ogunjobi and Ward are probowlers in waiting. I like the edge we play with. We have become more physical. Garrett - man, anyone watching him I don’t see how you can’t go wow almost every play. He’s always literally at the QB in seconds forcing a throw or pushing the pocket. He is also almost always held and it doesn’t get called. That strip sack last week, 3 minutes left - your playmakers make plays. He’s awesome and scarily has room for growth.

Next year, if we have continuity, I see a big leap. Baker in year 2 and D in year 3. Another DB or 2, a LB, viable DL depth and the D should be top tier and allow starters to rest. I really see a playoff spot as viable next year, I truly do.


* takes the Browns to always be the exception rather than the rule

Last year I started by loving GW,then just simply hating his D and lack of smartness.

I still do to a point, I'm starting to think he is using the time he has to coach the D to play aggressive, even in times where the last thing we need is to be aggressive.

So now I'm more or less on the middle. I actually think Haley is giving us a good grinding type of O and the GW has't figured it out and keeps on calling plays like a maniac.

In conclusion, If GW turns out to be smart coach, and starts to use the aggression he coached and developed intelligently, then yes, this can be a great thing. If he is just a loose cannon looking for highlights, then no....

He has 1/2 a season to show if he can keep other teams from scoring more in the 1st half,and then let Haley win the game in the 2nd half. Judging from the division games, I think he can. But lets see against Pit....

When did Randall get moved to CB ?

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/browns-coordinator-haley-says-jackson-same-page-190229037--nfl.html


Jackson remains confident C JC Tretter (ankle) and Damarious Randall (groin/ankle) will play Sunday. Randall, who has moved from free safety to cornerback, had high praise for Steelers WRs Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster. ''I'm a big fan of both of them,'' he said. ''I love the way they play the game - toughness, grit and fight that they have each and every play.''

Last week against TB.

As you know, Mitchell was out. Then, EJ Gaines was out w/a concussion, thus we moved Randall to corner, kept Carey inside, and put BBC at FS.

Brilliant moves.

I wouldn't have had the nerve to move Randall from FS, but if Carrie is being abused, then it makes sense.

I'll allow it... :-p

Jc...I hate when we slide Kindred over a WR to essentially play CB...that has never been his forte

Randall has been excellent at safety but he has experience at corner from his Packers days so I see the logic. I think he’s pretty good in man or zone so has the skillset. Mitchell back will be a boon to this D. I hope we pick up at least 2 DBs next offseason. Can never have enough.

We also have some versatility with Boddy-Calhoun.

The #Browns pass defense gets stingy when it counts the most. Their 58.9 passer rating allowed in the Red Zone leads the NFL, far below the league average of 95.0

https://twitter.com/PFF_Browns/status/1055956556792168448

They're going to be tested this week. The Steeler's O is rolling.

I think it is imperative that we get after Ben, and control the clock on O, to limit their TOP.

No one else probably ever thought of that.

I think that's why the Chargers wanted to hammer us on the ground. Just keep attacking the run defense

We used to be first in blitz percentage by a wide margin.

I think we've backed off as we've been forced into less press-man coverages by injuries.

That, or we're just actually learning, lol!

Just a side comment...

I hate that the steelers hashtag must be #herewego. Makes me want to punch them in the mouth.

Does anyone else remember just a few years ago we could not stop anyone on third down. 3rd and 10, we give up 11. 3rd and 20, we give up 22. It was awful!! Nice to see these new stats.

This is fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

Nice post.

When a defense gets off field on third down, a lot of times it's because a pass rusher or DB made a play. Those are two areas the Browns are talented at.

I was just gonna make this comment. 3rd and 20.. we knew it'd be a first down.

So nice to see us leading in that category this year.

I'm seriously loving this Randall Peppers duo at Safety.

The Redskins at 95.8%? Yikes.

j/c:



#NoRealPlayers

Schobert is very underrated. He's not flashy, but is consistently where he should be and makes plays. Getting another LB like that would go a long way toward shoring up the middle of the defense.

Wow! He's in good company there.

I have to admit.... I never thought much of him when we first got him and I constantly thought him starting at LB was akin to us starting Boddy-Calhoun at CB - it was more about lack of anything else to put there than it was about him being talented enough to lock that spot down, BUT Schobert has proven that opinion of mine to be wrong. Dude is flat-out playing!

I still want Devin White in the Draft - if we think he can play outside because I think Schobert has the inside on lockdown.

And 1st in "Bwa-ha-ha!" moments.

he's also entertaining to follow on twitter

We have a DROY candidate and he is our second best pick. That’s insane. The future is bright.

Blake Williams gave a press conference today. In it he said that’s been calling the plays on defense the last two games. That is not insignificant. The Falcons game was an offensive day for the defense. Not coincidentally, we had Schobert back for these last two games.

https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/video/blake-williams-joe-schobert-is-a-football-junkie

What's really bizarre is that we have 3 guys who, if they continue to develop, could be Pro Bowl players next year. (Mayfield, Ward, Chubb)