The Cleveland Browns defense has been the consistent bright spot in their 5-3 start to the 2026 season, especially with Mike Rutenberg stepping into the defensive coordinator role for the first time. But let’s be real, while the overall unit has mostly been solid, the run defense has been a full-blown roller coaster, and lately, it feels like it’s plummeting. This past Sunday, the Steelers absolutely gashed them for 200 rushing yards in a rematch, and what’s even crazier, the Browns have now given up six rushing touchdowns in just the last two games!
The Run Defense: Good, Bad, and Ugly
Look, when this run defense is good, it’s pretty good. They held teams like Carolina, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh (in their first meeting) all under 100 rushing yards. That’s stout, that’s what you expect. But those good days are starting to feel like a distant memory. They were already giving up an average of 132.2 rushing yards to teams like Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, and the New York Jets earlier in the season. That’s not great, but it’s nothing compared to what’s happened in the last two weeks.
After Tennessee ran for 141 yards, Pittsburgh turned around and piled up a whopping 200 yards on them. And get this: through the first six games, they only allowed ONE rushing touchdown. Now? They’ve given up SIX in just the last two games alone. Seriously, what gives? This team is ranked No. 24 against the run, allowing 126.9 yards per game. It’s a shocking stat for a franchise that’s actually been pretty solid against the run for the better part of two decades. Only once since 1999 have they allowed less than 100 yards per game in a season, and that was in their winless 2017 campaign. This isn’t just a bump in the road; this is a full-blown crater forming.
Coach Monken’s Diagnosis: Effort or Scheme?
So, with the run defense going from inconsistent to downright problematic, what’s happening? Is it a lack of effort? Are opposing offenses finally figuring out Rutenberg’s schemes? Or is the defense just flat-out wearing down from having to carry so much weight because the offense has struggled? Head coach Todd Monken weighed in, and it sounds like he thinks it’s a mix of the last two.
He said, “I don’t see it as a mindset. Our guys play their rear ends off , they’re physical. Every game’s different, every week is different. We’ve got to play better on the road. We’ve got to play from in front. That will give us a chance to play the run better and force them to make calls. But there are a number of things we’re going to have to do to change, because we’re going to continue to see those types of runs, those schematic runs against the attack style, and where we go from here.”
Monken went on to emphasize, “We weren’t at our best the last couple of weeks in stopping the run. All right, now what? What are we going to do to stop the run? What are we going to do to put ourselves in a position where we’re always trying to make a team one-dimensional, no doubt, but where we can mitigate those long plays.” He’s not blaming effort, which is good. But he’s admitting they weren’t at their best and that they need to figure out how to stop those long plays. It’s a clear signal that the coaching staff knows they’ve got a massive problem on their hands, and the fixes need to happen fast.
This run defense, which was supposed to be a strength, is suddenly their biggest weakness. If they want to keep that 5-3 start from completely derailing, turning around this abysmal run-stopping needs to be priority number one. The league is clearly taking notice, and they’re going to keep testing it until the Browns prove they can stand firm.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply