Browns lose, but Steve Wilks’ defense did more than enough to win Sunday night against the Rams
Myles Garrett with the strip and Joe Schobert with recovery!#LARvsCLE pic.twitter.com/ST6O6m5Fiu
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 23, 2019
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Last year, the Los Angles Rams averaged 27 points per game, second-best in the NFL. On Sunday night, defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and the Browns allowed the Rams seven points under their 2018 average in a 20-13 home loss. Goff threw for 269 yards and looked confused most the night, unable to distinguish what coverages Wilks was using.
Cleveland forced three turnovers, including two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
His defense provided the Browns with several momentum-filled moments.
First, Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp scored on an 11-yard deep out early in the third quarter off a pass from quarterback Jared Goff. It looked easy.
Cleveland was in man-to-man defense and Kupp is too quick not to win versus off-man coverage.
It was Los Angeles’ third completed pass on an out and would’ve been the fourth, but Brandin Cooks had a drop in the first quarter.
When something works, aggressive play-callers tend to go back to it, especially Sean McVay. But the Browns and Wilks had an adjustment ready.
After an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive, capped by a 2-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Demetrius Harris to answer Kupp’s score, Goff dropped back on first down looking for Cooks but was picked off by defensive back T.J. Carrie.
On the play, Wilks’ defense showed Goff off coverage. Since the throw had been open all night, Goff was late to it. Carrie made a break on the ball, intercepting Goff.
The out route tends to be open in off-man coverage or deep cover 3 looks, where three defensive backs are each defending deep thirds of the field. That’s exactly what the Browns showed pre-snap, but credit Wilks for coaching his secondary to be ready for the out route that burned them several times already.
The other and much more obvious game-breaking defensive moment was Myles Garrett’s strip-sack to end the half.
Garrett did what he does best and made a play. Props to linebacker Joe Schobert for making the heads-up play, attempting to scoop-and-score. His 21-yard return set up an Austin Seibert kick, giving the Browns a 6-3 halftime lead.
Another example of a defense that did more than enough to win on Sunday night.
