The Opening Drive 9/4: Coverage Dictates The Browns Defense Returning To Form
If the group is going to rebound, they have to cover better in 2025.
The hype surrounding the Browns and Bengals opening week battle is building well. Both teams know how important this Week 1 game is to the start of their season and both have been acting accordingly. The injury reports show health in a good place for both sides and we are set to get one of the classic battles between the two.
We spent time previewing the game on today’s pod so tune into that whenever you can. Denzel Ward spoke to the media about the matchup and it’s marquee matchup between himself and the Bengals dynamic receiver duo. ““I like making plays on the ball and being a factor in a game,” Ward said Wednesday. “I’m looking forward to going into the game, and hopefully they target me a lot. Go send Joe Burrow some texts, tell him to throw at me, and we’ll go from there. I’m gonna enjoy it.”
Ward is never lacking confidence, and rightfully so. The Browns secondary in general has more questions than answers, though, and that is the focus of today’s Opening Drive.
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I caught this breakdown last night of 2024’s coverage data and how many single coverage routes teams use in their scheme and then how many of those routes get deemed “open” when the single coverage techniques are used. Now, obviously the man coverage dense teams will have more of the usages — as the top teams in man coverage percentage are at the top here — but the interesting data point is the “open” volume.
The Browns ran the league’s second highest amount of man coverage according to TruMedia, so it is encouraging that they only ended up having the 5th highest single coverage route volume (this is due to their preference to have a low and high hole player). The problem is their volume of open routes allowed. This is a number far too high for the defense leaning into this coverage as it’s dominant preference. Obviously allowing open receivers in man coverage can lead to results like this one below from Tee Higgins in Week 7 last year.
They went from Top-10 in “open” rate in 2023 to 25th last year. That type of difference will account for big plays for the opposing offense and conversions on those longer down and distance situations where the defense likes to get creative with pressures. They have Ward, who will put together teach tape reps like this one against Higgins on the vertical route, but they need to show more consistency.
The challenge will be how well Greg Newsome handles working as an outside cornerback again. Can he shut off those in-breaking routes and use the sideline to his benefit again the way he was doing when he entered the league and during his rookie season. Can Cam Mitchell and Myles Harden prove they can handle the nickel role. The Browns will get plenty of Ja’Marr Chase in the slot this week and other teams use their best receivers inside as well. Will the Browns shadow Ward and Newsome into different spots to keep their best-on-best locked in place or will they rely on that disguise that comes from keeping players static in their spot.
Plenty to be determined that will have an impact on the outcome of this one. The single biggest factor will be how well the Browns cover this dynamic receiver group. If they can make Burrow pause for a few moments then it will change everything. That pass rush can get home, and drives will stall. If Burrow is comfortable and decisive, with the ball coming out quickly, then it makes for a tough day. I, for one, cannot wait to see.
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Browns Film Breakdown will return this afternoon with coverage from practice.
So excited for this game! I really like the Browns chances. Probably naive but it feels like a huge statement game right off the bat.