Dawgs By Nature
Quick pressures are great but Browns defense isn’t backing up Garrett
The Cleveland Browns are 1-4 early in the 2024 NFL season for a variety of reasons. While the offense with QB Deshaun Watson struggling gets a ton of attention, rightfully so, the Browns defense has taken a huge step backward as well.
The season might be over, in terms of playoff hopes, but DE Myles Garrett is planning to keep playing despite injury concerns.
A couple of weeks ago we shared that the Browns defense was getting the most quick pressure in the NFL. Most of that had to do with Garrett and DC Jim Schwartz’s system. Through five weeks, Garrett is getting the fastest average pressure on a quarterback of the entire NFL:
The chart might be hard to read so a quick look at the five fastest times:
Only two players on the list have as many or more pressures as Garrett. Zach Allen of the Denver Broncos has 25 pressures but takes 2.62 seconds while Travon Walker of the Jacksonville Jaguars has 24 pressures but averages 2.78 seconds to get them.
Both Allen and Walker are near the bottom of the list in terms of speed to create the pressures.
Despite Garrett’s quick pressures, Cleveland’s defense is middle of the pack overall. Teams are getting the ball out quickly and using change-of-direction plays to take advantage of Schwartz’s scheme.
Much of what we are seeing this year was evident in the playoff loss last season against the Houston Texans. As the subheadline reads in that article, “Man coverage” and “aggressive” are cute buzzwords but easily attacked as well.
As is clear with the offense, where better line play, QB play, play calling and/or rushing attack would help the other aspects, the defense is a chain. Garrett (and others) can play well but it needs all parts to work in unison.
That is especially true in Schwartz’s defense. The style of play means there is very little overlap and any misread, slip or, as we’ve seen time and time again this season, simple change of direction play can lead to big gains for opposing offenses.
Garrett has been great, on gimpy feet/legs, but the Browns defense has to make some adjustments. Will Schwartz change up his scheme? Is this where Mike Vrabel, Schwartz’s boss with the Tennessee Titans for a few years, could impact the defensive coordinator’s plans? Or will smart teams continue to take Garrett out of plays while taking advantage of Schwartz’s system?
The season might not lead to the playoffs again but we might get answers on Schwartz’s adjustment plans.
***Do you think the Browns struggles on defense are scheme-related or just the players not doing their jobs?...
