DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Jim Schwartz and the Defense

what a stat

So the fewest by any team since 1972.

Seems like a weird way to give us credit due lol.

Lol. No crap.

"Browns have allowed the fewest yards in over 50 years, how can we make that less significant??"

"Hold my beer."

And the 2023 Browns are doing it in a pass-happy, modern day NFL. This defence is very very good.

I can't read the above, only blank boxes, but super bowl nation is saying
one thousand two yards through five games, not weeks but games, = fewest in fifty years and third fewest since the merger.

and they are doing it being negative in turnovers.

I don't know, are we looking for a parade or something? Defense doesn't generally get a lot of buzz. It usually takes some sustained success before a D or team gets a reputation for being a great defense.

I know we have a good defense. You know we have a good defense, and the offensive coordinators around the league know we have a good defense. That's good enough for me.

Agree - need to sustain this level for a full season for us to get kudos. That said:

https://www.espn.co.uk/nfl/insider/...rprises-browns-bengals-jets-lions-texans


Jim Schwartz was the best acquisition any team made all offseason

The Browns brought in Schwartz as their new defensive coordinator this season, and so far, they appear to have the league's best, meanest and toughest defense. They held the previously unbeaten 49ers -- who had scored at least 30 points in each of their first five games -- to 17 on Sunday.

EDITOR'S PICKS

Sure, the Niners had a rash of major injuries during the game, and the Browns still needed a 41-yard Jake Moody field goal attempt to sail wide at the final whistle in order to hold on to win. But defensive end Myles Garrett and the defense stifled an offense that no one else has been able to even slow down. And as a result, the Browns are 3-2 and squarely in the AFC North hunt even though they don't have quarterback Deshaun Watson. And the Niners went home with their first loss of the season.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

The numbers speak for themselves, folks. Entering Sunday, the Browns ranked first in defensive efficiency, according to ESPN's Football Power Index. They ranked 30th in offense. They've allowed a total of 1,002 yards so far this season. Only two teams since the 1970 merger allowed fewer yards in their first five games -- the 1971 Colts and 1970 Vikings. These are practically prehistoric numbers the Browns are putting up on defense.

If Watson can make it back from his right shoulder injury soon, and if the offense can get itself on track, Cleveland is going to be a major problem. Clearly, the Browns had the players, but Schwartz has brought it all together in a big way. Next week, they get the Colts, who turned it over four times Sunday in Jacksonville. Viewer discretion is advised.[i][/i][color:#33CC00][/color]

Schwartz has done such a good job of using the new (GOOD) acquisitions ... but also using our older guys in better ways (Delpit, JOK come to mind)

Lol. I agree 100%.

But facts are still facts. If a team has allowed the fewest yards in 50 years, why say they've allowed the third fewest in 52?

It's a tongue-in-cheek message done purposefully (probably) to the most maligned fans in the league, so that the rest of the league will laugh. I laughed too, no biggie here.

It's like telling your wife she looks great in that dress, but only while she's sitting down.

Maybe they mentioned 1970 because that's when the merger happened. Anyway, it's quite an accomplishment and a credit to our coaches and players!!

Yeah, it's definitely because of the merger. It's still funny.

I'm gonna embrace it and put a scowl on my face -- helps me keep my edge. 🤣

One thing about the article, when they mention points allowed, it would not be unusual for an article by ESPN to point out that 7 of those points were nearly directly related to a Browns' offense TO. Not true statistically, but IMHO, the D allowed 10 points to that 30+ PPG offense.

Also, I thought the "viewer discretion is advised" comment was funny.

We need to maintain our confidence and health, and winning cures a lot of that stuff

I've been impressed with our front and run fits. CMC was bottled up for a lot of the day after the first drive

Did CNC play? According to the media the 49ers were without he and Samuel.

CMC was knocked out in the 3rd quarter

They both played the first half. CMC made a couple attempts to come back in the 3rd, but alas, his booboo belly was too severe.

If our O can just produce a little more we would really have something to cheer about.

heck, in our losses we are literally just praying for the O to not turn it over

I'd like to see the offensive numbers those two years in contrast to what teams today do. Teams back then were averaging 50 YPG less than teams now. So in perspective, the Browns D are better than those

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1005862/nfl-average-yards-per-game-development-over-time/

Practically speaking the offense has given up at least 21 points due to turnovers.

I think what they were doing is using stats from the SB era. There have been 56 Super Bowls and that's what is widely considered the modern era of football. I don't believe there's any more to it than that.

It's definitely a "since the merger" comment.

It's just too easy to imagine it was a humorous, but back-handed, "we'll only give you so much credit" post. Believe me, I'm typing that with a smile on my face and knowing that probably wasn't the case at all.

Tom Withers wasn't having any of it....

It's certainly the kind of 'gallows humor' that should resonate with all Dawgs.



I got it.

there was a great clip of Siciliano on the Rich Eisen show when he explained the whole thing ... fun stuff

Maybe this should become it's own thread, but just imagine where a defense like this would have us if we had a better offense.



The offense right now:

Dead Freaking Last in Turnovers: Both in Total and Differential.
Well below the 40th percentile and nearly bottom third in Points/Game

Yes, we are technically tied with the Pats in Differential, and the Vikings have one more actual turnover, but both of those teams have played 6 games to our 5.
We're only scoring 19 pts/game on offense, and it feels like our offense gives up 10-14 per game while consistently giving up more turnovers than our D can create..... and that's no knock on the D because it's tough to rack up huge turnover numbers when the opponent doesn't get to stay on the field very long.

Also note: target Denver in fantasy sports.

Been saying they look like a historic D since the first or second game. They keep this up and they will be remembered like the 85 bears.

gosh we just need our offense to NOT lose us games and we'll win most of them

I agree that if they keep playing this way they should be remembered like the 85 bears but I doubt they will be for one main reason. The 85 Bears defense was pivotal in taking the Bears to and winning a SB in 85. As their W/L record kept getting batter, as they made the playoffs and then the SB, the attention of that D gained more and more popularity. They became celebrities. Especially The Fridge.

Now if this D can take the Browns to that level of success I agree with you. Otherwise they will still be considered a great D but never put on a pedestal and get the attention of the 85 Bears defense.

when you have a dominant group and/or team, it is REALLY important to start each game and give the opponent little hope .. like we have to go into Indy and stifle them, fly around, make their life hell for the first 2-3 drives

Quoted for Truth.
You get remembered by being this good AND WINNING IT ALL.

If they keep it up, they'll still rank with, or ahead of, all those sorts of teams... they just won't be highly regarded and will instead be a punchline for "defense wins championships".

The defensive numbers would be even better if the offense was average.

And nothing says it won't become average or better as the season moves on.