The 1-6 Cleveland Browns are heading into a new chapter of their season with Jameis Winston taking over at quarterback after Deshaun Watson’s torn Achilles tendon put him on the shelf for the rest of the year.
The team has a rough matchup this week against the Baltimore Ravens in an effort to get back in the win column, and one Browns coach recently sent his team a clear message about defending the league’s leading rusher, Derrick Henry.
The Chronicle-Telegram’s Scott Petrak shared that safeties coach Ephraim Banda said they “absolutely” talk about having the commitment to tackle Henry, and quoted him as saying “No poodles. There’s no shying away from contact. We have to have the mindset of solving the problems with violence.”
#Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda said they "absolutely" talk about having the commitment to tackle #Ravens RB Derrick Henry. "No poodles. There's no shying away from contact. We have to have the mindset of solving the problems with violence."
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) October 25, 2024
There’s no other way to go into a matchup with Derrick Henry, who leads the league in rushing by over 200 yards with 873 to go along with eight rushing touchdowns.
Henry is averaging a ridiculous 6.5 yards per carry so far and is currently on pace to break the single-season rushing record at nearly 31 years old.
His pairing with Lamar Jackson at quarterback couldn’t possibly be going any better, and the Browns defense will have its hands full with this offense that has led the team to a 5-game winning streak.
Cleveland’s run defense has been respectable so far and is middle-of-the-road at 126.1 yards per game allowed, and if it is to hold up against Jackson and Henry, it would help tremendously if the Browns offense could put some long drives together.
NEXT: 'Modell Law' Author Shares His Thoughts On Browns' Lawsuit Against It