'Not really much to lose' for Cleveland Browns this season

A question posed by Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot on Monday to Browns safety John Johnson III produced an eyebrow-raising response. 

"What can you do now to get the run defense improved?"

It was a relevant inquiry considering that the Dolphins had gashed the Browns for 195 yards rushing and two touchdowns in their 39-17 win Sunday. 

"Just cut it loose, have fun," Johnson III replied. "You know it's not really much to lose." 

A vague sound bite like this can be analyzed in myriad ways, but with Cleveland sitting at 3-6, a distant 11th place in a brutal AFC playoff picture, Johnson might have a point.

The defense has been middling this season, permitting 349.1 yards per game. The defense ranks 23rd against the run (131.1) and 19th against the pass (218 yards).

On Sunday, the Browns play at Buffalo, which seeks to bounce back from a gut-wrenching, overtime defeat to the Minnesota Vikings. Following that, they play Tom Brady and the Tampa Buccaneers, who are riding a two-game winning streak. Cleveland soon could be staring at 3-8.

The Browns' offense has statistically been solid, scoring the 10th-most points per game (24.1) while boasting a top-five rushing attack (158.8 yards per game). But head coach Kevin Stefanski's approach has been widely maligned by Browns fans.

Most of the criticisms focus on the underuse of RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and an overreliance on QB Jacoby Brissett. ESPN projects him to attempt 548 passes, 79 more than his highest mark in 2017 with the Indianapolis Colts.

In Week 13 in Houston, Deshaun Watson, who has been cleared to practice, will compete in his first game in 700 days. He'll probably be rusty. 

All in all, there is "not much to lose" for the Browns this season, but the questions about how this organization will look in 2023 are dependent on how the team responds the rest of the way.