Entering the season, everybody talked about the new-look Cleveland Browns offense, and rightfully so.
Needless to say, having a former MVP candidate like Deshaun Watson leading the way lifted the offense’s floor and ceiling by a big margin.
Then again, the front office put an emphasis on the other side of the field during the offseason, and with Jim Schwartz now in charge of the defense, it wasn’t shocking to see them fare much better in that regard.
Nonetheless, not even the most optimistic Browns fan ever expected this turnaround, as it was pretty much overnight.
To put in context just how dominant the Browns’ defense has been this season, PFF Cleveland Browns shared on Twitter that they’ve allowed a scoring drive just 23.8 percent of the time (50 out of 210), which is the best mark in the league.
The Browns defense has allowed a scoring drive just 23.8% of the time this season (50/210)
Best in the NFL 👑 pic.twitter.com/6Xzhu9gj4D
— PFF CLE Browns (@PFF_Browns) January 5, 2024
Schwartz has taken Myles Garrett’s game to a whole new level, which is a lot to say, and he’s about to be named Defensive Player of the Year for the first time in his career.
The Browns’ pass rush has been the best in the league by a landslide, and they’ve shut down the run as well.
This team has won multiple games they were supposed to lose, as the offense constantly turned the ball over.
Still, the defense was always able to flip the field and put the team in a position to win.
The team deserves plenty of credit, but this is a championship-caliber defensive unit and the main reason they’ve made it this far.
NEXT: Browns Share Strong Message About 2024 Pro-Bowl Snubs
