Football people always say that offense sells tickets and defense wins championships. For the 2010 Cleveland Browns, that’s the reason they probably will not win more than half of their games this season. Despite improvements at cornerback, the defense is still the team’s biggest question mark.
For years, the primary weakness on defense has been not being able to stop the run, and in the pre-season, it’s still an area of concern. And if you can’t stop the ground game, it’s tough to rush the passer and use blitzes to stop the opponent.
Until this area is improved, the Browns won’t be able to win consistently.
There is nothing wrong with starting the rebuilding on defense with the cornerback position, and GM Tom Heckert and Mike Holmgren upgraded that spot with first round pick Joe Haden and by trading for veteran Sheldon Brown. Having good cover corners allows you to blitz more often with the comfort of knowing the receivers will be handled.
Rookie T. J. Ward also looked impressive in the exhibition games, but the other safety spot, manned by Abe Elam has to be considered iffy.
The Browns certainly have quantity at linebacker, with 11 on the roster following the release of last year’s 2nd round pick David Veikune, and while there are several solid pros, there is no difference maker. The unit has definitely been upgraded, but there still isn’t a future all pro looming at the spot. Marvin Benard may have the best chance to be an impact player.
The defensive line is filled with guys with little future, including three veterans over 30 years old in Shaun Rogers, Kenyon Coleman, and Robaire Smith. Rogers has been a Pro Bowler. The best of the younger guys is NT Ahtyba Rubin, at just 24 years old. The balance of the personnel at this spot is filled with journeymen.
Now Haden, Ward, Rubin, and Benard may be impact players down the road, they aren’t now, and there will be some pressure on them to step up right away if Cleveland’s defense is to improve.
The other troubling thing about the opening day roster is the amount of players with 10 years of experience on a team that is supposed to be getting younger with an eye on improvement down the road.
There are nine Browns with 10 or more years of experience in the NFL, and 17 players who are 30 years old or more. Many of the ten-year guys are backups, so perhaps the thought process is to have experienced backups for some of the young starters, but most of the age is on the defensive front seven. Four of the ten-year pros (LB Eric Barton and David Bowens, and linemen Rogers and Smith) play these spots, while seven of the 30+ crowd (the previous four plus LB Scott Fujita, CB Sheldon Brown, and Coleman) are in the front line of defense.
There is a fine line between experience and age. This defense is skirting that line.
Perhaps the experienced hands will play well early in the season, but you have to worry about how they will hold up over the 17 week season. Maybe the front office is biding time for some of the young players.
However, for all the hand wringing about the offense last season, it has improved to the point where the success of the football team depends on the defense. If the Browns can stop the opponent from running the ball, they will be fine. And stopping the run would be a first since the team came back in 1999.
JD
Cleveland Sports Perspective 