Can the Browns’ Defense Bounce Back Against Baker Mayfield in Week 2?

The Browns face a major test against Baker Mayfield after allowing 34 points in their season-opening loss.

Sep 13, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Jared Verse (8) in the fourth quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cleveland Browns’ defense is looking to redeem itself after an abysmal performance in Week 1.

The Browns took on the Jaguars in Week 1 and allowed 34 points. Jacksonville scored 31 points on five of the seven drives led by starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence before he was replaced by backup Nick Mullens. The Browns’ defense looked like a shell of the unit that took the field in 2025, before Mike Rutenberg replaced Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator.

Man vs. Zone Coverage

Many Browns fans have pointed to the drastic change in coverage usage as one reason for the Browns’ struggles. During the 2025 season, the Browns ran 43.4% man coverage and 52.9% zone coverage. Against the Jaguars, the Browns ran 73.2% zone coverage and 21.4% man coverage. That dramatic shift raised concerns because Cleveland’s secondary has historically performed better in man coverage:

New #Browns DC Mike Rutenberg had the defense in ZONE on 67% of their snaps Sunday against the #Jaguars. 👀🏈@1Tyvis stresses these are “MAN-TO-MAN” corners — zone simply won’t cut it.

▶️ https://t.co/net8rCPoYx pic.twitter.com/GNBynam5Yx

— Ultimate Cleveland Sports Show (@ultCLEsports) September 15, 2026

The Browns Think Differently

Despite the concern from Browns fans, the Browns believe other factors contributed to the defense’s struggles. Carson Schwesinger spoke to the media before practice on Wednesday, Sept. 17, when he quickly rejected the premise of a question about the man-versus-zone coverage debate, stating, “That’s not the reason.”

Browns LB Carson Schwesinger quickly cut off a question about the man vs. zone talk and whether it factored in the defense’s struggles in Week 1.

“That’s not the reason.”

— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) September 17, 2026

Similarly, Jared Verse spoke to the media that same day and said the defensive scheme is “set perfectly” and that the Browns’ defense can bounce back by executing its assignments:

Browns DE Jared Verse said Cleveland’s scheme is “set perfectly” and the key to bouncing back is everyone doing their “1 of 11.” pic.twitter.com/omid6SpPQc

— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) September 17, 2026

Mike Rutenberg, the first-time defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns, also spoke that day, reaffirming his faith in his personnel and stating that he will adapt his scheme to what works best for his players:

Rutenberg: "I'm super confident in our group."

— Zac Jackson (@AkronJackson) September 17, 2026

Is the Bounce Back Coming?

It seems that whatever the Browns have been working on in preparation for their matchup against the Buccaneers in Week 2 of the NFL season, they are confident in their plan. Coaches like Rutenberg and players like Schwesinger and Verse appear confident that one poor performance will not define a defense that entered the season with high expectations.

While that is all fine and dandy, the Browns have already put themselves in a place where fans need to see it to believe it. Week 1, both defensively and offensively, went about as badly as anyone could have imagined, and because of that, frustration among fans is already growing. Reaching that point with the fanbase after only one game places immediate pressure on the team to respond.

However, if the team, and particularly the defense, performs well against Tampa Bay, the tide could change quickly. Given what fans saw in Week 1, that remains a major “if.”