BEREA, Ohio— The Cleveland Browns are 5-2 in a large part because of the Browns defense.
In the 27-24 win over the Titans last Sunday, the defense allowed 14 quick points and put the Browns in a 14-0 hole within the first seven minutes of the game.
However, the defense helped turn the game around in the second quarter with a key goal line stand that turned into a 14-point swing as the Browns stopped the Titans three-straight times from the one-yard line and prevented the Titans from taking a 21-7 lead.
The Titans had a first-and-goal on the Browns' three-yard line. On first down, Tony Pollard ran for what was ruled a touchdown that would have put the Titans up 21-7. However, on review, Pollard's knee touched down just short of the goal line.
On second-and-goal, Cam Ward tried a quarterback sneak and was stopped short of the goal line by Sam Kamara and Quincy Williams.
On third down, Ward tried again and was stopped by Adin Huntington, who was credited with a sack.
The Titans elected to go for it on fourth down, Pollard was tackled for no gain by Winston Reid and the Titans came out of the 14 play drive with no points, keeping it a 14-7 game.
After the defense made the stop, the offense tied the game a few minutes later and the Browns actually, took a 17-14 lead into halftime.
Defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg has been preaching to not let up, no matter the circumstance.
"Well, I don't want to take any credit for what I'm preaching," Rutenberg said. "It just exemplifies actually who we have and who we are as a defense and who we are as a football team. And no matter the circumstance, we're going to go as hard as we freaking can, and we're going to try and do our job as best we can and play as violent as we can.
"And it's just a testament to those guys that we just keep going and going and swinging, and if you take a punch, you swing back, and it's what we believe in on defense," he said. "It's what Monk preaches as a football team, and it's what we do every day. But it starts, again, like, how do we meet? We go about our meetings the same way. How are we walking through, how are we practicing? How are we studying? And then you hopefully, get rewarded, and in that moment, they did because of who they are."
Rutenberg said the defense's resiliency helps them rebound from the struggles early and to step up and make the plays they did on the goal line stand.
"It just falls back to our defensive style, playing for each other and having a great time doing it, and then playing as smart as we can, being in our job, and playing as violent as we can, attacking the ball," he said. "So, when things are going well, it's a constant reminder, stay within our style, style over scheme, let's make sure we're doing our job, playing hard as (heck), playing violent, going after the ball.
"When things aren't going well, there's no magic potion," he said. "It's keep playing our (butts) off, hey, celebrate the good stuff, let's quickly fix the bad stuff, do our assignment, are we playing violent, go after the ball. It's that consistent approach defensively that is good or bad, we're going to always hunt it, and it's a testament first to our team on all three phases. But, obviously, speaking defensively, how resilient we can be and constantly never-say-die attitude. It's a credit to the players. They're doing it."
On the third-down play, defensive tackle Adin Huntington was knocked to the ground and he got up and made the play.
Rutenberg was asked about his relentlessness.
"Like, I'm speechless, because what doesn't it say?" Rutenberg said. "It's everything he's about, it's everything our defense is about, it's everything our team is about. And it's how we all approach things. And in his moment, he did it. Gets knocked over, bounces back up.
"Carson (Schwesinger), or excuse me, Mason (Graham), is reaching," he said. "Nine other guys are doing everything they can to fight. He pops up, and collectively we make a play to help our team win. But again, it just goes back to the people we have on our defense and on our football team, and when they're between the white lines going as hard as they freaking can 'til they can't. And that was just an epitome of it for Adin. He does it every day in practice."
The Steelers are averaging 22nd in the NFL in scoring at 21.9 points a game, while the Browns are giving up 20.9 a game, 12th in the NFL.
The Browns won 27-24 at Huntington Bank Field on Oct. 1 and in order for the Browns to win this Sunday in Pittsburgh, the Browns need their defense to be up to the task that once again.
EXTRA POINTS
Howard Misses the Week with a Concussion, Questionable: RT Tytus Howard left the Titans game with a concussion and did not return. Howard missed the entire week of practice, which puts OT Dawand Jones in line to start on Sunday against the Steelers and edge rusher T.J. Watt, unless Howard is cleared.
The Browns listed Howard as questionable, along with CB Myles Harden (hamstring) and S Daniel Thomas (ankle).
"We'll have a better idea in the morning, we have a practice (Saturday)," Monken said.
Monken said there is still time for Howard to be cleared.
Monken said that Jones has been playing 'fine' and the time he received reps in training camp has helped him.
"There's no substitute for reps," Monken said.
No other players are on the game status including C Elgton Jenkins (knee), DE Jared Verse (knee), DT Mike Hall (ankle) and are expected to play. Hall sprained an ankle in the game, but returned and had a 10-yard sack. However, he has missed the last three games due to the injury.
"We're looking forward to him giving us a boost."
Sanders Still Backup QB:Monken said that QB Shedeur Sanders is the backup quarterback, but has not decided who will be the third, emergency quarterback, Dillon Gabriel or Taylen Green.
