Browns: 3 Tennessee Titans to game plan for in Week 13

Malcolm Butler

The Titans lost a lot of good players in the offseason and some thought that might hurt them in 2020 as they try to repeat the success they had in 2019. Luckily for them, Malcolm Butler has stepped up greatly after the loss of a guy like Logan Ryan, who helped make this secondary one that was nearly impossible to throw on.

Butler is second on the team in interceptions with two, third on the team in tackles with 68, and has a whopping 11 pass deflections. Teams can’t throw on him or run his way. He’s too versatile as a player. That’s going to be a problem for the Browns, who don’t really have many big playmakers on the edges at the moment. While Jarvis Landry did pop up for a game against the Jaguars, it’s less likely he repeats that type of game against a far better secondary in the Titans.

If Landry does go off for a big game, it more than likely won’t be against the Butler. Butler’s going to be a problem for whichever receiver he lines up against, so the best bet may be to throw someone like David Njoku or Harrison Bryant, a tall athletic tight end, against him to try and negate his presence in the defense.

It may not work, after all, Butler has shown to be one of the better defensive backs in the AFC but the Browns can’t be afraid to challenge him. While Baker Mayfield has played well this year, a big challenge for him this well will involve him trying to throw on Butler and the rest of the Titans secondary. Luckily they’re not a great pass-rushing team – they only have 14 sacks on the season- so Mayfield should have time to let things develop around him and make the big throw when needed most.

Still, Butler should very much be seen as a threat.