Factory Of Sadness
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Cleveland Browns: 4 Candidates For Week 7’s Dawg House

By Jamyson Frierson

Aug 13, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Dawg Pound flag after a touchdown during the first quarter of preseason NFL football game against the Washington Redskins at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 13, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Dawg Pound flag after a touchdown during the first quarter of preseason NFL football game against the Washington Redskins at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 23, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill (32) runs against Cleveland Browns outside linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah (90) and defensive end Carl Nassib (94) during the second half at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals running back Jeremy Hill (32) runs against Cleveland Browns outside linebacker Emmanuel Ogbah (90) and defensive end Carl Nassib (94) during the second half at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /

Defensive Line

This was a horrible performance by the Browns defensive line. They haven’t been that bad the past few weeks, but Sunday was unacceptable. Just like the linebacking core, Hill ran right past them with no resistance.

Danny Shelton, who has been playing better–failed to get any kind of penetration at the line of scrimmage against him or Bernard.

Xavier Cooper and Jamie Meder failed to set the edge during the game as did Carl Nassib. He got back there for pressures on Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, but he was unable to stop the tandem.

I’m not saying that Hill and Bernard aren’t a formidable duo, but they aren’t Walter Payton and Gale Sayers. According to ESPN.com, the Browns rushing defense is ranked 31st in the NFL. Only the San Francisco 49ers are worst.

It’s been an obvious issue all year, but to let Hill just get 168 yards untouched by the first level is insanity. They were getting overpowered at the line, and couldn’t get to their assignments all game long.

I feared that we would see Jamal Lewis 2.0 for a minute, but we didn’t. Another issue that I’ve noticed this season is how plain Ray Horton’s defenses have been. When he was with the Browns in 2013, he tried different exotic schemes.

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He would have the safeties blitzing, the interior linemen dropping back in containment–it would keep the opposing offense honest.

It might be lack of talent, or just how Horton coaches now, but something has to be done with the line.

The Browns had the chance to potentially get Muhammad Wilkerson in the offseason to anchor the edge, but failed to do so.

It might not solve the overall issues, but it would have helped. Now, the Browns could face him Sunday if he returns from injury.

Cleveland will have a tough task with Forte and Powell, but hopefully they get the line back from the past few weeks, and not last Sunday.

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