5. Cleveland Browns Off-ball linebackers
I thought Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah would see his stock rise after this one, but then I noted a stat from PFF, which stated the team’s off-ball linebackers (JOK and Malcom Smith), got torched for nine receptions and 106 yards.
Five passes into their respective coverages went for first down. To speak Dawg-Poundese: “Woof!.”
Like Ward, JOK, deserves some heat on this play. I hammered Ward for not making a hit. JOK deserves just as much criticism for not finishing the play. He assumed Ward would make the hit and he was wrong.
Instead of trying to force the runner out of bounds, JOK just kind of slowed down and the receiver took an extra six extremely valuable yards.
Again, who knows what happens if JOK knocks him out earlier, or Ward makes the tackle in-bounds, but, again, we would LOVE to find out.