The Ravens head into Sunday afternoon’s matchup with the Browns chasing their fifth win of the season and a second straight victory with Tyler Huntley starting at quarterback. And if you want a read on what Baltimore is walking into, a conversation with Dawgs By Nature’s Chris Pokorny painted a clear picture of Cleveland’s offense, its pass rush, and a defense that may be dealing with some key health questions.
Pokorny said Todd Monken has brought a culture of adjustment to Cleveland, pointing to lineup competition and a willingness to shift roles based on performance. He noted that Monken has encouraged competition to determine the Browns’ best starting five offensive linemen and hasn’t been afraid to reduce veteran Jerry Jeudy’s reps in favor of the rookies. He also said Monken appears to have oversight of the need to make defensive-gameplan changes during the game.
On offense, Pokorny said Monken’s fingerprints show up most clearly in the way Cleveland uses its quarterback. He described the Browns as having more designed runs for their mobile quarterback, similar to what Monken has used with Lamar Jackson.
The ground game has been part of the plan, though Pokorny said it has not yet translated into strong yards per carry. Even so, he said that approach still opens the door for explosive shots downfield, especially to rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston.
The Browns’ pass rush, though, has not been centered around one obvious name. Pokorny said pressure has come from all over the roster, with 10 different Browns already recording at least one sack. He pointed out that Jared Verse, who came over from the Rams for Garrett, has yet to notch a sack this year, even if the coaching staff has praised him for doing his job and helping others around him.
There are also questions on the injury front as Cleveland enters Week 6. Pokorny identified defensive tackle Mason Graham and linebacker Carson Schwesinger as the biggest concerns, with both listed as questionable.
He said both returned in some capacity to practice on Friday, which he viewed as encouraging, but he also noted the Browns promoted two defensive tackles from the practice squad, a move that can hint at depth issues at the position. Pokorny said Schwesinger seems more likely to play, while either absence would be a blow to the defense.
He added that Graham had been playing at an All-Pro level over the first three weeks, and Schwesinger is coming off his best game of the season.
At quarterback, Pokorny made one thing plain: a mid-game switch would now come as a surprise. He said that might have been a real possibility early in the season, when fans were already frustrated with Deshaun Watson being the starter, but not anymore.
Watson helped get the Browns to 3-1, and even in last week’s rain-soaked struggle, he still led a go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. Pokorny said Watson has also used his legs well to pick up important yards, and that when he’s at his best, he’s taking the easy, smart throws underneath before occasionally pushing the ball deep.
He said Watson can look like a game manager at times, but that it represents clear growth from where he was before his Achilles’ injuries.
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