Cleveland Browns Defense Presents Tennessee Titans Unique Challenge, Familiar Face in DC Jim Schwartz

The Cleveland Browns defense has been the top unit in the NFL through two weeks and it is led by All-Pro defensive end Myles Garret and a familiar face in former Titans defensive Assistant Jim Schwartz. Both Titans coordinators gave their thoughts on what lies ahead on Thursday.

The Tennessee Titans will take on the NFL's stingiest defense on Sunday when they take on the Cleveland Browns. Through two games, the Browns have yet to allow a red zone touchdown on defense because they haven't even had someone enter the red zone.

Simply put, they are dominating. First, against a great offense in the Cincinnati Bengals and then with a bad offense in the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Titans likely fall somewhere in between those two teams in terms of offensive talent, but could end up with the same fate.

The Browns play a tenacious style, coming forward and trying to get penetration at all costs. While the Titans saw a good defense in New Orleans in Week 1 and the Chargers have some talented players on defense as well, the Browns present a unique challenge schematically the Titans haven't seen yet.

Titans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly spoke about that on Thursday before practice.

"They're a fast, attacking front," Kelly explained. "With those guys upfront, with (Myles) Garrett and Za'Darius (Smith), those guys are big, productive, strong, athletic players on the edge, (Dalvin) Tomlinson's inside. They're getting off the ball, those backers are flying all over the place, trying to take double teams on. It's very much an attacking front, probably different than what we've seen the first couple of weeks with the Saints and the Chargers. On the backend they've got good length, obviously with (Greg) Newsome, (Denzel) Ward, guys that can run and can play man coverage. So, that's what we're expecting to see."

One of the biggest reasons for the defensive turnaround in Cleveland to start the year is the new defensive coordinator. A name Titans' fans may recall, Jim Schwartz left Nashville after being a defensive assistant with the Titans for two years to become the leader of the defense for the Browns this offseason.

Schwartz was considered a leading voice for the defense in those two seasons, even if he was in more of an advisory role. His knowledge help take a Titans pass rush group from one of the worst in 2020 to one of the NFL's best while he was in town.

That wisdom and knowledge didn't just make an impact on the field. It made a major impact on Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, who Schwartz was a primary advisor to. Bowen got his first shot at being a defensive coordinator in the NFL the same season Schwartz was hired in 2021. Bowen talked about how thankful he is to have had that relationship was Schwartz.

"He was extremely valuable to me," Bowen explained as his reverence for Schwartz was obvious on his face. "Just a great football mind. Obviously, one of the better defensive minds in the game. I think his knowledge of offensive football from being a head coach and being around the league for so long. he was always a great sounding board for me, always coming to me with ideas, things we can do differently and it's not just the stuff on the field, it's the day to day aspect of running a meeting, things to approach with the unit going into game week."

"There were a bunch of different aspects that he helped me with. I miss him, I do. Happy for him obviously. He deserves what he's doing right now and by no surprise they are doing what they're doing defensively, but can't say enough about Jim and what he was to me these past two years."

While Schwartz and Bowen's units won't face each other directly, the student will need to outduel his teacher. Both defenses are talented in this game and we already heard from Kelly about how difficult this Browns defense will be to go up against.

Whichever defense can win the field position game and create more turnovers to help their offense will likely come out victorious in this one. The Titans may appreciate Schwartz's contributions, but they need to make him fail this weekend.

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