CLEVELAND — When Browns new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz was hired this offseason, he brought with him a proven track record of success and dominating defenses.
He also brought with him a focus on intangibles.
“He tells us all the time, we're going to lead the league in badassery," cornerback Greg Newsome II told ESPN Cleveland in June.
Schwartz himself said that there would be a focus on things that don't show up on the stat sheets.
"We put an emphasis on that; we’re going to try to lead the league in effort. We’re going to try to lead the league in passion for the game and things like that," Schwartz said at the beginning of August.
One game into the regular season and after a very strong outing from the defense in Week 1, that emphasis has been embodied by Schwartz's players.
On Monday, cornerback MJ Emerson described the defense in three words: "Passion, effort and swag."
But how exactly do you measure that on a football field? Schwartz has a way.
"It’s more so like celebrating your brother’s successes. When someone makes a play, you should see everybody running over there to celebrate," Newsome said in August.
Celebrating teammates' successes is more than a suggestion—it's a core part of the Browns' operations on defense. It's actually a ground rule for them.
"[Schwartz] actually has a system where if you don't celebrate after you make a play or celebrate with your teammate, it's a loaf. So he wanted to celebrate our great plays and just bring that swag and passion to have fun," Emerson said.
On Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, there were no loafs. From some intimidation tactics from Myles Garrett that saw him hit a crossover as he approached the line to rush Joe Burrow to guys flying up and down the field throughout the game to praise their teammates, there was no shortage of energy.
Individualized handshakes, dances, raised hands, and plenty of screaming filled the 60 minutes of football on Sunday.
At every chance, and there were many, the Browns' defense celebrated their successes. They celebrated the offense's success, too. Runs from Nick Chubb and Elijah Moore, and a rushing touchdown from Deshaun Watson, drew guys like Newsome off the bench to show support.
uh oh....@gnewsii and this defense put the league on notice in Week 1
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 13, 2023
📺: https://t.co/T000xrVKFC pic.twitter.com/HKaiL2k948
On Sunday, the Browns defense held the Bengals to just six total first downs. Cincinnati could only convert two of their 15 third down attempts. Cleveland held Burrow to 14-of-31 passing with just 82 yards in the air while sacking him twice.
And while the defensive stats showed up in the way the Browns have worked to execute all summer, the intangibles that Schwartz has focused so keenly on—and set rules to encourage—might have shown up even more.
That's something that they'll look to continue with another tough divisional rival, this time on the road, as they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers under the prime time lights Monday night.
"When our opponents call on the tape, anybody calls on the tape, to just see that we fly around, play fast, play physical, we play together. And that every Sunday, going to have to scrap up, put your big pads on and come out and play because we're coming as well," Emerson said. "I just want Cleveland as a whole to just be us, the standard we built from day one this off-season, and just keep going and just keep taking it week by week, day by day."
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