CLEVELAND — Cleveland spent the offseason rebuilding its offense with the expectation that the defense would provide some stability.
That plan lasted exactly one quarter.
Jacksonville scored touchdowns on its first two possessions, added points on each of its next two and eventually built a 31-0 lead during Cleveland’s 34-10 season-opening loss. The Jaguars scored on six of their nine offensive possessions, accumulated 360 total yards and converted 5-of-10 third downs.
Trevor Lawrence completed 18-of-23 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns. Jacksonville also rushed for 126 yards, allowing its offense to remain ahead of the chains and preventing Cleveland’s pass rush from taking control of the game.
Now the Browns’ defense must attempt to recover against a familiar face.
Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host Cleveland on Sunday, giving the former Browns quarterback his first opportunity to face the franchise that selected him No. 1 overall in 2018 and later discarded him during its pursuit of Deshaun Watson.
That storyline will dominate the television broadcast, but Cleveland has more immediate concerns than revisiting its quarterback decisions—though, let’s be clear, if Mayfield were to light up the Browns, it would be embarrassing for everyone in the organization on a variety of levels.
But back to the point: The Browns must determine whether last week’s defensive performance was one terrible afternoon or evidence of a much larger problem.
Jacksonville repeatedly created favorable matchups and found openings in Cleveland’s secondary. Lawrence looked far too comfortable. Mason Graham recorded Cleveland’s only sack, while the Jaguars finished with 23 first downs and scored touchdowns on both of their red-zone opportunities.
Head coach Todd Monken pointed toward breakdowns in communication and execution after reviewing the game. Those problems must be corrected quickly because Mayfield has never been shy about attacking a defense when he sees blood in the water.
Tampa Bay lost 33-27 to Cincinnati in its opener, but the Buccaneers moved the ball without punting. Their biggest problem was keeping it.
The Bengals forced and recovered four fumbles, including three by Mayfield, and turned those mistakes into 24 points. Tampa Bay’s offense scored 20 points—the remaining seven came on Josiah Trotter’s interception return—but its turnovers prevented the Buccaneers from controlling a game in which they repeatedly moved into scoring range.
That provides Cleveland with both a warning and an opportunity.
Mayfield remains an aggressive quarterback capable of creating explosive plays, but that aggression can also produce mistakes. The Browns cannot sit back and allow him to operate comfortably. They must pressure him, close passing windows and force him to make decisions before he wants to make them.
In other words, let Baker Mayfield be the worst version of himself.
They must also contain Bucky Irving, who produced 93 total yards against Cincinnati and remains dangerous as both a runner and receiver. If Tampa Bay establishes its running game, Mayfield will have access to the same play-action opportunities Lawrence used to dismantle Cleveland.
The status of Tyson Campbell is also concerning. The starting cornerback missed Thursday’s practice with an ankle injury, creating additional uncertainty for a secondary already attempting to repair its communication problems.
Cleveland does not need its defense to be perfect Sunday. It does, however, need that unit to resemble the one everyone expected to see before the season began.
One ugly performance does not define a defense.
Two consecutive ones might.
