It was a tough day for the Cleveland Browns’ defense, which gave up 27 points to the Los Angeles Chargers in their Week 9 loss.
The unfortunate highlight of Cleveland’s defense was the struggling secondary, who gave up two game-changing touchdowns in this contest. Safety Juan Thornhill and the Browns’ defensive backs lacked communication throughout most of the game, resulting in significant chunk plays that Cleveland had no chance to overcome. Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward managed to have some impressive pass deflections, but his efforts were nowhere close to enough for a victorious effort.
The Browns defensive line led the charge against Justin Herbert and the underrated Los Angeles Chargers offense. Myles Garrett and Dalvin Tomlinson were the team’s standout playmakers, combining for a total of 4.5 sacks. The entire defensive line room put in a strong effort to halt the Chargers’ offense, and they intend to build on that performance the following week by putting up a stronger defense as a whole.
Let’s now take a look at who stood out in this contest with the top-10 PFF players for the Cleveland Browns in Week 9:
Sep 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) celebrates his sack against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Overall: 89.1
Run defense: 79.3
Pass rush: 75.0
Aug 17, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Isaiah McGuire (57) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Overall: 78.8
Run defense: 68.5
Pass rush: 73.5
Cleveland Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith (99) celebrates a sack with cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during the first half of an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Overall: 77.8
Run defense: 71.9
Pass rush: 68.9
Nov 3, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) knocks the ball away from Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) during the second half at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Overall: 74.5
Run defense: 53.4
Coverage: 81.0
Nov 3, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) celebrates after sacking Los…
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