The Cleveland Browns have the best pass defense in the NFL. The defense excels due to the Browns’ elite defensive line. So far this season, Myles Garrett has a double-team rate of 75.93%, which frequently allows the rest of the line to get one-on-one matchups. The defense has a league-best 54% in pass rush win rate. With Garrett almost always drawing a double team, how are the rest of the defensive linemen playing?
The Big Dawgs
Mason Graham is tenth in pass rush wins with 14, giving him a pass rush win rate (PRWR) of 12%. All season long, he has proven himself as one of the best defensive tackles in passing situations. The league average for defensive tackles is 10%. As a rookie, Graham has been bullying centers all season long. Maliek Collins is no slouch himself. Collins has 12 pass rush wins and a PRWR of 12%.
Graham and Collins have also been elite in the run game as well. Both players have a run stop win rate of 40% which ties them for eighth in the league. Graham has 54 wins on 134 rush snaps; meanwhile, Collins has 49 wins on 122 snaps. Overall, the Browns are also number one in run stop win rate. Mason Graham and Maliek Collins have proved to be one of the elite defensive tackle pairings in the league.
Not only have they been one of the best starting duos in the NFL, but there is also plenty of depth. Shelby Harris and Michael Hall Jr. have also proven to be valuable backups, adding a good mix of run support and pass support. However, with Michael Hall being injured, the depth has been tested at times, and Adin Huntington moves inside.
The Cleanup Crew
Throughout the season, Alex Wright has been rotating on the other side of Myles Garrett. So far this season, Wright has 24 total tackles, ten pressures, nine tackles for loss (TFLs), three sacks, and one forced fumble. Wright has been able to add pressure from the edge and force QBs out of the pocket all season long. Not only do the stats back up his great play from the other side, but the eye test shows Wright is almost always in the backfield alongside Myles Garrett. However, he is currently dealing with a quad injury that occurred in a game versus the New York Jets and will miss this Sunday’s game against the Ravens. Isaiah McGuire will presume the starting role until he returns.
Isaiah McGuire has been providing elite-caliber depth to a defensive line that is already elite. McGuire has eighteen total tackles, twelve pressures, six TFLs, one sack, and one forced fumble. After a great September, McGuire is expected to start in place of the injured Alex Wright until he returns.
All season long, the Cleveland Browns’ defense has been a nightmare for opposing teams, and it all starts with the Dawgs in the Trenches.
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