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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jacob Roach

PFF’s 10 highest-graded Browns’ defensive players vs. Texans

There were some question marks with the defense of the Cleveland Browns as they struggled against teams on the road. They were being gashed in the run game and struggled to figure out running quarterbacks away from Cleveland. This week, however, defensive ends Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith were dialed in.

The score doesn’t show exactly how dominant they were, one of the touchdowns scored was on special teams as well as the other Texans scores game when Jim Schwartz pulled his starters. The pass rush of Smith and Garrett was nasty and left the Texans looking for answers and leaving their quarterbacks under pressure all day long.

Over 30 pressures on the quarterback again this week and the cornerbacks who are finally healthy were as locked down as they have been all year. Here are the top 10 performances according to PFF on the defensive side of the ball.

DE Za'Darius Smith

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Overall: 92.2

Pass Rush: 91.3

Run Defense: 64.5

DE Myles Garrett

(Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports)

Overall: 90.9

Pass Rush: 91.8

Run Defense: 79.0

LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Overall: 80.1

Run Defense: 76.0

Coverage: 71.8

Greg Newsome II

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Overall: 76.9

Coverage: 77.9

Run Defense: 63.8

CB Denzel Ward

CLEVELAND, OHIO – OCTOBER 01: Denzel Ward #21

Overall: 74.3

Coverage: 81.1

Run Defense: 37.6

S D'Anthony Bell

(Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

Overall: 73.3

Coverage: 67.3

Run Defense: 69.1

CB Cameron Mitchell

Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Overall: 67.7

Coverage: 74.9

Run Defense: 57.1

S Ronnie Hickman Jr.

Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Overall: 59.8

Coverage: 59.6

Run Defense: 59.7

LB Matthew Adams

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Overall: 59.6

Pass Rush: 85.6

Coverage: 47.5

S Tanner McCalister

(Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports)

Overall: 59.3

Coverage: 60.5

Pass Rush: 55.6

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