The Cleveland Browns in 2023 knew that, if all else was failing, they could rely on their defense to shut down the opposition and give the team a chance at a victory, especially at home.
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It’s a new season, however, and while many of the faces are the same on defense, the scenario did not play out as expected in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.
It also brought to mind another takeaway from last season, in that while the defense feasted on the league’s lower-level quarterbacks, it struggled when tasked with stopping or slowing down even competent quarterback play.