People can make snide comments all they want about the opponents having so little trouble running against the Browns that they don’t have to throw. But Cleveland still has the NFL’s No. 1-ranked pass defense through nine games, allowing 163.3 yards a game. The ranking may be a little misleading — the Browns don’t have the best secondary in the league — but it’s not a fluke.
Cornerback Joe Haden has played near a Pro Bowl level, despite a knee injury. Strong safety T.J. Ward was improving every week before a foot injury. Cornerback Sheldon Brown is better than given credit for, Dimitri Patterson is the best nickelback this town has seen in years and free safety Mike Adams has been around the ball a bunch.
Safety Usama Young, a free-agent pickup, had a rough first half, but played his best game yet last week while filling in for Ward.
- Grade: B+
- Bottom line: You can’t argue with the numbers.
See the full article here: http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2011/11/16/the-cts-scott-petrak-grades-the-browns/
Credit: Scott Petrak @ The Chronicle Online
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