The Cleveland Browns lost their first game of the season, but their defense was as dominant as advertised.
They struggled to contain Chase Brown in the first series, but Jim Schwartz was quick to make adjustments.
That’s why, after seeing the PFF grades and the tape, team analyst Jeff Lloyd urged the team to extend Isaiah McGuire, who had an 88.2 PFF grade:
“Extend Isaiah McGuire,” Lloyd posted on X.
Extend Isaiah McGuire https://t.co/jsZvH6UMKz
— Jeff-LJ-Lloyd (@Jeff_LJ_Lloyd) September 8, 2025
That was the second-highest grade on defense, trailing only rookie LB Carson Schwesinger, who had a 90.0 grade.
McGuire doesn’t get a lot of attention, but he can be an absolute menace on the edge.
He dominated with six tackles (four solo) and one sack.
Of course, Myles Garrett will steal most of the headlines, and rightfully so, but McGuire also did a solid job opposite him.
He’s just 24 years old, and he’s clearly soaked in a lot from his future Hall of Famer teammate.
The Browns’ defense held the Bengals’ high-flying offense to a grand total of seven yards in the second half of the game.
They held Joe Burrow to 95 net passing yards.
Chase Brown had the bulk of his 43 rushing yards in the first drive of the game, and no pass-catcher had more than four receptions.
It was a shame that such a dominant performance went to waste, but it should be an encouraging sign for the remainder of the season.
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