
Through the first three games of the 2023 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns are playing defense at a level we rarely see. The 3-0 Browns rank first in Defensive DVOA, and they have the sixth-best DVOA through the DVOA era, which goes back to the early 1980s.
The numbers are pretty insane. Cleveland ranks first in net yards per passing attempt allowed at 3.5. The NFL average is 5.9. They’ve allowed 14 first downs in the passing game – the NFL average is 32.2. They’ve allowed 2.8 yards per rushing attempt – the NFL average is 4.1. They’ve allowed one passing touchdown. The NFL average is 3.9.