The Browns have been one of the steadier defensive teams in their 5-3 start, but the run defense has turned into the kind of problem that can wreck a season if it keeps snowballing.
That’s the uncomfortable truth in Cleveland right now: the unit has had stretches where it looks locked in, then other stretches where it gets gashed in a hurry. The clearest example came in the last two games.
Tennessee ran for 141 yards, and then Pittsburgh followed with 200 in Sunday’s rematch. That came after Cleveland had allowed just one rushing touchdown through its first six games, only to give up six over the past two.
The pattern has been uneven all year. The Browns held Carolina, Baltimore and Pittsburgh in the first meeting under 100 rushing yards, but they also gave up an average of 132.2 rushing yards to Jacksonville, Tampa Bay and the New York Jets.
In other words, when the run defense has been on, it’s been solid. When it slips, it slips hard.
Head coach Todd Monken doesn’t see it as a lack of fight.
“I don’t see it as a mindset. Our guys play their rear ends off - they’re physical.
Every game’s different, every week is different. We’ve got to play better on the road.
We’ve got to play from in front. That will give us a chance to play the run better and force them to make calls.
But there are a number of things we’re going to have to do to change, because we’re going to continue to see those types of runs, those schematic runs against the attack style, and where we go from here.
“We weren’t at our best the last couple of weeks in stopping the run. All right, now what?
What are we going to do to stop the run? What are we going to do to put ourselves in a position where we’re always trying to make a team one-dimensional, no doubt, but where we can mitigate those long plays.”
The bigger picture isn’t especially comforting, either. Chris Easterling at The Beacon Journal noted that Cleveland is sitting No. 24 against the run at 126.9 yards allowed per game. Since 1999, the Browns have finished a season under 100 rushing yards allowed per game only once, and that was during the winless 2017 season.
Even with Jim Schwartz running the defense the past three years, the Browns weren’t exactly shutting teams down on the ground. Under Schwartz, they allowed 105.5 rushing yards per game in 2023, 129.7 in 2024 and 116.4 in 2025.
That leaves Cleveland in a familiar but dangerous spot: the offense hasn’t shown enough consistency to take pressure off the defense, so the front seven has to clean up the run game if the season is going to stay on track.
The next chance comes against New Orleans, and it’s a useful measuring stick. The Saints are No. 28 in rushing yards at 86.0 per game, No. 30 in yards per carry at 3.52, and they just fired their offensive run coordinator.
If the Browns can’t handle that ground game, the rest of the schedule could get ugly fast.
In Other News...
Browns Deadline Debate Now Centers On Two Starters They Could Move
As the Nov. 10 trade deadline approaches, the Browns are still weighing whether to act like buyers or sellers, and the conversation inside the building has centered on two very different needs. Quarterback help remains on the radar, along with possible upgrades on the offensive line, but any move will have to fit a roster that is still trying to sort out which pieces are part of the long-term plan.
Jerry Jeudy has emerged as a logical name to watch because of the inconsistency in his production and the salary attached to him, while slot cornerback Harden has stayed in the starting lineup even as his play has lagged behind. He has also been targeted enough to post an ugly passer rating against, which only adds to the sense that Cleveland could be forced to make some uncomfortable decisions if it wants to reshape the roster before the deadline. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Slow Starts Keep Making Their Biggest Problems Even Worse
The Browns latest loss to Pittsburgh only sharpened a problem that has been hanging over them for weeks. In a 27-6 defeat, Cleveland again struggled to run the ball and to slow the run on the other side, leaving the offense in obvious catch-up mode before it ever had a chance to settle in. Head coach Todd Monken pointed to the same issue afterward, saying falling behind early has made it harder for the team to do the things it needs to do well, from protecting the quarterback to getting after the passer.
It has become a familiar and costly pattern for Cleveland, which has been outscored badly in the first quarter this season. And the timing could make the next stretch even trickier, with Shedeur Sanders potentially in line to start if Deshaun Watson remains in concussion protocol. For a team already fighting to find balance, the margin for another slow opening is getting thinner by the week. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Suddenly Have A Shedeur Sanders Decision Fans Need To Watch
Deshaun Watson is still the Browns starting quarterback despite the concussion that has put his availability in question, and that leaves Cleveland in a familiar spot with its quarterback room suddenly under a brighter spotlight. Shedeur Sanders is expected to start in Week 9, giving the Browns another look at a young passer who arrived with plenty of attention and has been viewed as a backup with potential.
The situation has also stirred the usual trade chatter around Clevelands crowded quarterback group, but the Browns are not currently looking to move any of their young passers. Sanders, who was once considered by the Ravens, now has a chance to show he belongs in the conversation for more than just depth, and the next stretch of games should tell the team plenty about how it wants to handle that decision. [Read more 🡒]