Deshaun Watson has been sacked 13 times in the Cleveland Browns’ last two games, and the next defensive tackle waiting for him is Jeffery Simmons. Cleveland has allowed 24 sacks through six games, a pace of 68 over a 17-game season, and the Tennessee Titans just sacked Colts quarterback Daniel Jones six times in their first win of the year.
Sunday’s trip to Nissan Stadium sends a team that sits atop the AFC North against a 1-5 opponent coming off its best defensive day. All four Cleveland wins have come by four points or fewer, and four problems from the 13-10 win over Baltimore need attention before the Browns get to Nashville.
The pass protection has to stop the bleeding
Watson took five sacks against the Ravens one week after the Jets sacked him eight times. Some of that is on the quarterback. His 25% pressure-to-sack rate ranks 32nd among 35 qualified passers, and he averages 3.09 seconds to throw, according to PFF. We wrote last week that Watson needs to throw the ball away more often, and he had done it just three times through five games.
The line in front of him is still young. Cleveland’s Week 7 depth chart lists two rookie starters, left tackle Spencer Fano and right guard Austin Barber. Tennessee’s edge group is coming off a big afternoon in Indianapolis. Jermaine Johnson II had two sacks, Jacob Martin added one to reach 3.5 on the season and John Franklin-Myers posted six pressures, per the team’s postgame notes.
Jeffery Simmons can’t be allowed to own the interior
Simmons is the best defensive tackle Cleveland has faced in weeks. He carries an 83.4 overall grade, third among 129 interior defenders, with 21 pressures, four sacks and a position-leading 18 run stops, according to PFF. Against the Colts, he had seven pressures, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Four of those pressures and both sacks came while he was being double-teamed, per the Titans’ website.
That matters just as much for a run game playing without Quinshon Judkins. Cleveland ran 29 times for 93 yards Sunday, 3.2 yards per carry. Audric Estimé managed 19 yards on nine carries, while Jaleel McLaughlin gained 41 on nine. Even before Judkins got hurt, we wrote that the offensive line was the root of the rushing problems. “I thought we took some steps in the run game in terms of being on the right people and moving people,” Browns coach Todd Monken said on Monday. Simmons will test whether that progress holds.
The offense can’t wait until halftime again
Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Cleveland had 46 yards and three first downs in the first half against Baltimore. Watson went 3 of 9 for 24 yards, and the Browns were 1 of 6 on third down before the break, according to the team. After halftime, the offense gained 191 yards and scored all 13 points.
“It’s more than just one thing when you end up with (46) yards in the first half,” Monken said. He added, “We certainly need to call it better and execute better.”
Tennessee makes slow starts expensive. The Titans forced three turnovers against the Colts, including a Simmons strip on the first play of the second half and an Amani Hooker interception, and they returned a blocked punt for a touchdown. Cleveland nearly lost Sunday on a missed field goal and a blocked kick, and this offense can’t cover for mistakes like that for four quarters.
The defense has to stop the opening-drive scores
Monken flagged one defensive pattern even in a win. “Defensively, we’ve given up scoring drives on the first drive of each of the last three games,” he said. Baltimore opened Sunday with an 11-play, 66-yard touchdown drive, with Derrick Henry carrying five times for 30 yards. After that, the Ravens punted seven times in their final nine possessions, missed a field goal and lost a fumble when Carson Schwesinger stripped Henry.
Three games is a small sample, but Tennessee needs a head start more than most. Cam Ward threw for 102 yards against Indianapolis, and the Titans were outgained by 213 yards in a win. Tony Pollard ran for a season-high 76 yards on 19 carries, and rookie Carnell Tate leads the team with 29 catches for 344 yards. Cleveland has allowed 24 or fewer points in five straight games, and slowing Pollard on the first series would put the game on Ward’s arm.
Watson has led four fourth-quarter go-ahead drives, and the Browns keep winning close games with him. A cleaner first half and fewer free shots for Simmons would keep this one from coming down to another final kick.
