'Emphasis' for Browns Defense to Start Faster

BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns are trying to figure out how to get their offense off to a faster start than they have in recent games, but the defense also needs to get started right from the opening kickoff. 

The last three games, the defense has given up a long opening drive for a touchdown. The Steelers opened the game with a 78-yard drive for a touchdown and then the Jets had an 80-yard drive for a touchdown on their opening drive. Last week, the Ravens, went 66-yards for a touchdown on their first possession, which was their only touchdown in a Browns 13-10 win. 

With the Browns having challenges on the offensive side of the ball, a lapse early in the game on defense does not give the Browns a lot of wiggle room and giving up an early touchdown can be the difference in the game—as it was in the Jets game. .

The OBR asked Carson Schwesinger how to get that corrected. 

“That's been an emphasis for us this week especially, and obviously, that's something we've realized and so some of it is having the intensity to start the game off,” he said. And finding ways to make sure that that when we start the game our eyes are right, we're doing our job and we're in the right positions and technique, and so we're just working on that through practice to make sure we're starting to practice fast and things like that to make sure on Sunday we start fast.”

Jared Verse said the defense has to be ready to go from the opening kickoff. 

“Locked in the moment,” he said. “We kind of had to get out a little bit of mistakes that were in us and from then we just kept working and doing our jobs.”

 Verse said it’s something on the defensive players minds. 

“We just need to start a little bit faster, but you know your opening script is the place that you have drawn up, specifically, for the defense you're going up against.

“I think it's their best plays against the players that we have to react against, and we just haven't done a good enough job early on in these games.”

Defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg was asked what needs to be done to get off to a faster start. 

“I probably answer it the same way every week, just because I wholeheartedly believe it,” he said. “It’s a collective effort of all of us doing our jobs at the highest level, playing hard as hell, doing our job, knowing our job and being able to adjust within our job, and then playing violent as hell. 

“And when you do that consistently, typically you’re able to be persistent and weather any storms that happen and that’s what our defense is built off of, and it’s a credit to the players of just staying the course,” he said. “Staying the course during the week. Today was Thursday. “Let’s finish up our meetings today, get ready for tomorrow, and then the game follows suit,” he said. “Because as we’ve talked about, it’s up and down, it’s left and right. I’ve used that before. That’s the truth. It’s a grind and you’ve got to be able to out-grind the grind during the week and then within the game and let your fundamentals and play style take over. And that’s what we were able to do.”

Extra Points 

Graham, Schwesinger, Judkins Good to Go: DT Mason Graham (knee, ankle), LB Carson Schwesinger (ankle) and RB Quinshon Judkins (ankle) were not given a game status and are expected to play.

In addition, C Eglton Jenkins (knee) is also not on the injury report. 

On Wednesday, Monken said he anticipated that Graham, Judkins and RB Dylan Sampson (knee) would play. Sampson has to be activated off of the injured reserve list.

Monken was asked about the two running backs, if he was optimistic that they would play this week after missing last week. 

“I am,” he said on Wednesday.

Monken said it should give the running game a 'boost' in getting the top two backs on the field.

When asked about Graham playing, he said there’s ‘a pretty good chance’ he will. 

Schwesinger spoke to the media before practice.

“Relatively this week, it's better than last week, so yeah, I mean that's just how it goes.”

Ward, Delpit,Williams, Sampson Questionable: CB Denzel Ward showed up on the injury report on Friday as he was limited with a hand injury. Ward, along with S Grant Delpit (shoulder, concussion), Sampson (knee) and LB Quincy Williams (neck) are all questionable. 

Delpit is still in the concussion protocol and has to be cleared in order to play.

DT Kalia Davis (quad), QB Dillon Gabriel (back), DT Mike Hall (ankle) and G Teven Jenkins (back) are all out.