The Cleveland Browns’ defense hit another low point Sunday, as coverage breakdowns led to devastating touchdowns in their home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Browns legend Hanford Dixon didn’t mince words when analyzing what went wrong, specifically calling out cornerback Denzel Ward’s performance.
Speaking on the “Top Dawg Show,” Dixon highlighted a critical error in Ward’s technique.
“Denzel just kind of like sit down on that little spot, and the receiver just kept running; you can’t do that especially when no one is threatening your area. You got to continue to just get that depth.”
The #Browns have quite a few blown coverages to review over the bye week.
"Denzel sat on that little spot, and the receiver just kept running; you can't do that when nobody is threatening your area."
presented by: @NEFDirect pic.twitter.com/1MmYnlPbX3
— The Hanford Dixon Show (@TopDawgShow) November 9, 2024
Dixon did acknowledge Ward’s character, noting the cornerback’s willingness to shoulder the blame for last week’s struggles – a move that showed considerable maturity.
The Chargers’ aerial assault proved unstoppable, particularly in the first half where they amassed 214 net passing yards.
Justin Herbert was nearly perfect, completing 14 of 16 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns before halftime, posting a flawless 158.3 passer rating.
Despite consistent pressure from the Browns’ defensive front, the Chargers still managed to put up 20 points in the opening half.
While the Chargers struggled overall on third downs, converting just 5 of 14 attempts, those successful conversions proved backbreaking for Cleveland.
Three third-and-long situations particularly stood out: Herbert found Joshua Palmer for a 27-yard touchdown, connected with Quentin Johnston for an explosive 66-yard score down the sideline, and hit Palmer again for a crucial 26-yard completion on third-and-7.
Ward was the primary defender on both touchdown plays.
These coverage lapses have exposed issues the Browns need to address.
With a 2-7 record and the New Orleans Saints looming next week, Cleveland must learn from these defensive miscues.
While immediate fixes are necessary, these recurring problems also point to areas the team needs to focus on heading into the next offseason.
NEXT: Browns Linked To Free Agent Cornerback
