CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Browns begin the second half of their season in Miami Sunday. Are they one other 3-5 perpetually irritating crew, or are they higher than that? Let’s discuss it.

QUESTION: Do you agree with Miami coach Mike McDaniel, who mentioned: “The Browns aren’t any joke. They’re an excellent soccer crew … I imply, their document is their document … I feel they will beat any crew within the NFL on any week, and you’ll’t say that about each crew.”

ANSWER: Opposing coaches say issues like that each week to ship a message to their gamers. However I additionally consider it’s true. That’s why the Browns have been so “irritating,” to make use of Kevin Stefanski’s favourite phrase for 2022. That’s why I consider the following few video games will inform us rather a lot concerning the Browns.

Q: Wait a minute, Deshaun Watson received’t be eligible to play for 3 extra video games. That’s after we’ll actually know.

A: Please, get off the “Wait For Deshaun” practice. He ought to make the offense higher. However we have to perceive the Browns are No. 7 in factors scored (25.0) and No. 4 in yards per sport (359) within the NFL. The offense will not be the explanation the Browns are one of many NFL’s most underachieving groups. Their protection is twenty fourth in factors allowed.

Q: How about this “Oh, Please,” as in right here you go once more, beating up the protection and coordinator Joe Woods theme.

A: Let’s look ahead. The protection was stable within the 23-20 loss to Baltimore. It was excellent within the 32-13 taming of the Bengals. Actual progress within the final two video games. Then the Browns have had two weeks to guage and make changes through the bye week.

Q: Now it’s on to Miami, with one of many NFL’s finest offenses.

A: Precisely. Total, the Dolphins are averaging 23.6 factors – sure, worse than the Browns. However within the seven video games began by QB Tua Tagovailoa, they’re 6-1 and scoring 30 factors a sport. Their offense is about up for giant performs from receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Tagovailoa has been sacked solely eight occasions in these seven video games. He’s thrown 15 TD passes in comparison with three interceptions.

Q: Yikes! Feels like extra blown coverages.

A: Let’s look ahead to that. They’ve gone away in the previous couple of video games. Identical with the onslaught of missed tackles. Woods talked about Hill (1,104 yards receiving in 9 video games): “Everybody talks about (his) vertical pace, however in case you throw him one thing brief and also you miss a sort out, he would possibly go 70 (yards) …That is a type of video games the place we’re going to need to win a few of these one on ones.”

Q: Didn’t the Browns draft and signal gamers with pace on protection for video games like this?

A: Precisely. However there’s extra happening right here than athletic expertise. Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II talked about what modified for the protection within the final two weeks: “It’s nothing spectacular that we have been doing. It’s simply actually everybody doing their job, whether or not that’s enjoying with nice approach and you’re purported to cowl this man and canopy that man or setting the sting and doing precisely what you’re purported to do. I really feel like our self-discipline degree was very excessive these previous two video games.”

Q: What does he imply by “our degree of self-discipline”?

A: A few of it’s teaching. Some is management on protection. As Woods mentioned concerning the final two video games: “The fellows did an ideal job making ready. They have been holding one another accountable for what they have been doing on the follow discipline and on sport day. For me defensively, it was making an attempt to give you a sport plan the place I felt they (the gamers) can exit, play quick and execute.”

Q: Is Woods bettering by way of becoming his schemes to the gamers?

A: That’s what we’ll discover out. He mentioned the sport plans have been “drastically completely different” for Baltimore and Cincinnati, however talked about how the gamers have been “comfy with it.”

Q: You sound such as you don’t belief the protection?

A: I need to consider, however Lord assist me with my unbelief. I don’t imply to show this right into a religion column by paraphrasing Mark 9:24, but it surely expresses what I take into consideration the protection. The offense … it’s going to rating 20-32 factors. That’s been the case in 7 of 8 video games this season. 4 occasions, they scored not less than 28 factors – and they’re solely 2-2 in these video games.

Q: These are the numbers, however they’ve had accidents.

A: So do most groups. Miami’s secondary is devastated by accidents. If we have been speaking concerning the 2020 Browns, you’d hear no critical criticism of Woods and the protection. The expertise was missing. Final season, Woods pulled the protection collectively within the second half. They completed the season ranked No. 13 in factors allowed, 21.8. That’s the place they need to be this season. They’ve two extraordinarily high-paid gamers ($100 million plus) on protection: Denzel Ward and Myles Garrett. Extra to the purpose, even with linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. out for the season, they nonetheless have eight returning gamers. The one new starters on the crew in 2022 not right here a 12 months in the past are Taven Bryan and Deion Jones.

Q: So they need to be higher?

A: Precisely, the final 9 video games are the time to indicate it.

HEAR ME TALK: I will probably be talking on the Wickliffe Library on Thursday at 7 p.m. It’s free. I’ll take questions, meet followers, signal books.

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