Cleveland Browns defense sees improvements in little increments

BEREA – Rome wasn’t built in a day. The Browns defense wasn’t fixed in that time, either.

Last Sunday’s overtime win over Tampa Bay was a step in the right direction. The Browns kept the Buccaneers to just 17 points, 96 rushing yards and managed to limit them to just 4-of-15 on third-down conversions.

It was certainly progress for the Browns. However, while they feel like they’re improving, they’re not labeling themselves fixed.

“Yeah, little increments here and there,” linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah said of the improvements. “We still have a lot of stuff to work on and lot of mistakes to fix. From this point, yeah, I think we made some little adjustments, and we are getting better as time goes on.”

Part of that growth includes such performances not being a one-week occurrence. The Browns thought they saw the beginning of such a turnaround with their back-to-back performances against Baltimore and Cincinnati right before the Week 9 bye week.

Instead, the Browns emerged from that bye with back-to-back dismal efforts in losses to Miami and Buffalo. Still, this past week’s performance against Tampa Bay is one they believe can be built upon because of what they were doing that led to the performance.

“Yeah, I think guys were making plays, executing,” cornerback Denzel Ward said. “Communication was good. Playing fast out there, physical, and I think everybody’s just on the same page. We were able to hold a great offense with Tom Brady and those guys and hopefully we can build off that this week.”

Knee injury sidelines David Njoku for Wednesday’s practice

The injury issues that tight end David Njoku has battled over the last month or so continue to plague him. This time, it’s a knee injury that kept him out of Wednesday’s practice.

Coach Kevin Stefanski wasn’t ready to rule Njoku out for Sunday’s game at Houston. However, he did acknowledge it was a new injury than what had bothered the sixth-year pro previously.

“No, it is a different injury so we are just going to work through it and be smart,” Stefanski said.

Greg Newsome II back, Myles Garrett among Browns players resting

Njoku was the only Browns player to not be on the field during their workout Wednesday inside their fieldhouse. Cornerback Greg Newsome II, who had been sidelined since the Friday prior to the Buffalo game with a concussion, was back on the field with his teammates.

Receiver Amari Cooper, running back Nick Chubb, left guard Joel Bitonio and defensive ends Jadeveon Clowney and Myles Garrett all worked off to the side with a trainer. For almost all of those players, Wednesday has been a normal veteran’s rest day throughout the season.

Garrett, in particular, is someone the Browns are trying to keep fresh. He has struggled with a left shoulder injury he sustained in his September car accident.

“We will give him some rest today, but he is right where he has been,” Stefanski said. “These guys, as you know, just played an overtime game on Sunday so trying to be smart about what we do with the guys and make sure that they are fresh come Sunday.”