Browns Defense Must Improve In This Area For Week 13

Even after their 29-12 loss to the Broncos, the Browns still own the NFL’s top defense heading into Week 13 — Cleveland has held opponents to an astonishing 247.9 yards allowed per game, over 20 yards less than the next best defense (Dallas at 273.9).

But the Browns are far from perfect against the run, and that could cost them in a big way in Los Angeles in Week 13.

Cleveland has surrendered over 168 yards on the ground in each of its last two games and now ranks 12th in the league against the run, averaging 105.9 yards allowed per game. The Browns have allowed running backs to break off plays for 75, 24 and 19 yards in each of the last two weeks, and they face one of the league’s hottest backs in their next matchup against the Rams.

Running back Kyren Williams led all rushers with a 143-yard performance in Week 12 against the Cardinals in his first game back since a five-week stint on injured reserve. Williams has back-to-back games with over 140 rushing yards after he totaled 158 yards in Week 6 prior to heading to injured reserve, and his 5.3 yards per carry mark is the second-best among NFL running backs behind Pittsburgh’s Jaylen Warren.

Williams has become Los Angeles’ bellcow back — he topped 20 carries in two of the previous three games before he went on IR, and he received a team-leading 16 carries in Week 12. That total could increase against the Browns now that he’s had a week to knock rust off.

Cleveland has to be ready, and it knows the Rams will be prepared to exploit an area that’s become their biggest weakness in previous weeks.

“We just got to get back to our fundamentals and really lock in, tune in this week so it doesn’t happen,” linebacker Sione Takitaki told local reporters Monday. “Obviously, it happened. (The) Steelers, they break for that long run, (and) we come back, kind of adjust. And then this week, (we let) those runs linger all game.

“Definitely just have to get back to our fundamentals, lock in this week, knowing that the Rams can also do the same. They’ll watch the tape, too.”

The margin for error for the Browns is small moving forward even though their record is 7-4, and that’s because they’ve mustered little offensive production from their offense since Dorian Thompson-Robinson took over for quarterback Deshaun Watson following his season-ending injury.

Cleveland has scored just 10 and 12 points in the two games Thompson-Robinson has started, and the Browns could be forced to turn to P.J. Walker or newly-signed Joe Flacco who is currently on their practice squad, against the Rams if Thompson-Robinson misses time due to a concussion he suffered against the Broncos.

Regardless of who the QB is, the Browns’ defense will likely need to play a complete game at an elite level they’ve remarkably sustained for most of the season.

It hasn’t been elite against the run the last two weeks, though, and that almost certainly needs to change Sunday in Los Angeles.