Cleveland Browns: Where to go from an embarrassing 4-4 start

Joe Woods is still a liability…

As discussed a few weeks ago, Joe Woods as defensive coordinator should be making all parties involved very nervous. The talent on defense is too good – and being paid too much – to give up 15 points to a nearly 40-year old Ben Roethlisberger. Those 15 points had more to do with the Steelers and Matt Canada running a poor offense than it did Joe Woods’ defense.

As the offense struggles, Woods has yet to call a game that has put Cleveland safely out of reach of losing a game. It simply has yet to be done. Whether it be the continued use of off-man coverage with defensive backs that thrive in man-to-man, the lack of generating a consistent pass-rush to aid said secondary, or using prevent defense far too early with such small leads, Joe Woods is a scary individual to have with a headset on the sideline.

To make matters worse, that same talent-filled defense has created just five turnovers in 8 games. That ranks near the bottom out of all teams. If fans remember the 2019 season, a far less-talented Cleveland defense forced turnovers left and right with Gregg Williams calling plays. If Gregg Williams is bring brought into the conversation as a better comparison, there is a clear problem.

If Joe Woods can’t manage to utilize his players in areas where they excel, then he just isn’t the man for the job. What can Woods do with all of this talent, you may ask? Well, here are a few thoughts:

• Increase man-to-man coverage. The zone schemes Woods has called have led to massive yardage by opposing offenses as the secondary increasingly looks lost and out of position. Let the DBs take a man and stick with him. Trust the talent you have.
• Generate a consistent pass-rush. Myles Garrett has 10.5 sacks on the season thus far, and the addition of Jadeveon Clowney bull-rushing the opposite side is a big factor in that. Yet Myles Garrett is often seen on the bench on key drives. Keep the pressure on, and it helps everyone from the linebackers to the secondary. Play complimentary football.
• Let John Johnson III and Troy Hill play in the box. The reason they played so well in Los Angeles was that they were allowed to come down from playing high and work their way to the ball. We’ve seen it done successfully a few times so far, and there is no reason not to continue it when the team used big money to bring them in.

And finally, for the sanity of every member of the Dawg Pound and Cleveland Browns fans abroad, tackle! Missed tackles have been a long-standing issue with the Cleveland defense over the past few seasons. If it’s personnel, make the change. If it’s the coaching and training each week, make a change. Something needs to be done, as it really hasn’t improved in multiple years of play.