The Cleveland Browns played their best game of the season versus the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The team played a complete game on both sides of the ball and won 31-10. The defense finally looked like the defense that most people expected before the season. They allowed only 10 points on the day and the touchdown they gave up was scored late in the fourth quarter. They caused Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense to play one of their worst games of the season. So what changed this week from the previous four weeks for the Browns defense? Some of the major improvements by the Browns defense were: more effective on third down, improved tackling that in turn limited big plays, improved run defense, and also improved pass defense.

Here’s a look at these improvements in the Browns defense versus the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

More Effective on Third Down

The Browns have struggled all season on third down defense. In the first four games, opponents were 23 of 51 on third down conversions against the Browns defense. That is a 45% third down conversion rate for Browns opponents, ranking in the bottom half of the NFL. On Sunday versus the Steelers, the Browns held the Steelers to 6 of 16 on the third downs. That is a 37.5% third down rate, which would rank them in the top ten of defensive third down conversion rate. Here is an example of one of those stops.

This was a huge third down stop late in the second quarter. It was third down and 10 at the 48-yard line with the Browns up 21-3. The Steelers were driving to score late in the half to cut into the Browns lead. The Browns made a huge stop to force a punt. This is how it played out.

The Steelers line up with three receivers out wide, a tight end on the right side of the line, and running back to the left of Roethlisberger. The Browns are in a Cover Two with three down linemen. The Browns are rushing four on the play.

The Browns defense is in tight coverage versus every target on the play. The key to this play is the pass rush by the Browns line especially Jabaal Sheard. This causes Roethlisberger to dump the ball off to his running back Le’Veon Bell.

They finish off the play with great pursuit by linebacker Chris Kirksey and corner Joe Haden.

Another factor in the third down success by the defense is the ability to force longer third downs. This play was a third and 10, forcing the Steelers to pass for the first down.

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Improved Tackling that in turn Limited Big Plays

The Browns were very good at tackling versus the Steelers. This tackling allowed the Browns to hold the Steelers to only four plays over 20 yards in the game and none over 30 yards. Two of the longest plays (26 and 22 yards) were late in the fourth quarter when the game was already decided. One of the other 20-yard plays (23 yards) was the last play of the first half when the Browns were just trying to protect the endzone. Here is an example of the improved tackling.

This is a great example of how the improved tackling shut down potential big plays for the Steelers. This is a third and one for the Steelers early in the first quarter. Here is what the good tackling prevented on this play.

The Steelers are in an I-Formation with a receiver out wide to the right and a tight end on both ends of the line. The Browns are in a Cover One with nine players in the box to stop the run.

The Steelers set up a good play by faking a handoff to the fullback and then pitching to running back Le’Veon Bell. As you can see here, the Browns have no one on the left side of the field. Linebacker Jabaal Sheard bought the fake and crashed down to the right leaving the edge open. Safety Tashaun Gipson is now the only one on the edge and is most likely the only one who could stop Bell from a big gain.

This shot shows that Bell has one man to beat to get a huge gain on this third down play.

This tackle saved the Browns defense from giving up a huge gain and it also allowed the Browns to get off the field. Gipson showed great closing speed and technique by going for the legs of a bigger back. Gipson held on until help could get there to finish the tackle.

Tackling is all about angles and knowing your opponent you are trying to tackle. Gipson was very fast to get to Bell and he took a great route to take down the runner without over-pursuing him. Gipson knew he had to go low on Bell because of Bell’s size and strength to break tackles. He also knew that he had help coming, so he just needed to hold onto Bell and wait for his teammates to finish the tackle off.

Improved Run Defense

The Browns allowed 138 yards rushing on 32 carries in the games for an average of 4.3 yards per carry. Now this isn’t a great performance for the run defense, but it is definitely an upgrade over the first four weeks. The Browns defense allowed 610 yards rushing on 119 carries for an average of 5.1 yards per carry in their first four games. The defense was also without Ahtyba Rubin, Phil Taylor, Billy Winn, and Armonty Bryant in the game versus the Steelers. Here is an example of the improved run defense.

This shows a good run stop in the game by the Browns defensive front seven. The Browns bring down running back Le’Veon Bell for a short three-yard gain on second and four. The defense stops Bell to make it third and one. On the following play, the Browns stop them to force fourth down. Here is how the Browns made the play on the Bell run on second down.

The Steelers are in a single back set with two receivers on the left and a receiver on the right. Tight end Heath Miller is lined up as the right wingback. The play is a quick toss back to running back Le’Veon Bell with Bell running up the middle.

The first key to the play is the sealing of the edge by linebackers Paul Kruger and Jabaal Sheard. Kruger is patient enough to stay out wide to guard from a cutback to the edge. Sheard is engaged with a blocker but he staying on the edge and not slipping inside.

The next part of this play is show by defensive line John Hughes. He is able to break away from his blocker and fill the hole that Bell was trying to go through in the middle of the line. Hughes makes Bell have to cut back to left of the line. Desmond Bryant is also engaged with his blocker but he is starting to disengage and help fill the hole.

The play is finished with Hughes chasing Bell into the hole and then Kruger crashing down for the tackle.

The Browns were better at getting off their blocker and finding the runner versus the Steelers. John Hughes, Desmond Bryant, and Ishmaa’ily Kitchen played tough against the run even though they played pretty much the whole game because of all the injuries. The Browns must keep improving on getting off their blocks and filling the run lanes.

Improved Pass Defense

The Browns held Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to 21 of 42 for 228 yards, a touchdown, and an interception on Sunday. The Browns gave up most of the yards in the second half when the Steelers were way behind. Roethlisberger threw for only 89 yards on 8 of 17 passes. The Browns defense gave up an average of 269 yards passing in the first four games of the season. Here is an example of the improved pass defense.

This incompletion by Ben Roethlisberger is on a first and ten play at the 48-yard line in the third quarter.

The play for the Steelers is in a shotgun with two receivers on the left, a receiver on the right, a tight end at the left wingback, and a running back to the left of the Roethlisberger. The outside receivers are doing streaks up field. The slot receiver on the right is doing a 10-yard out route. The tight end is running a delayed out route to the flat. The running back will sneak out of the backfield and go the right.

The Browns are in Cover Two with man coverage on every receiving target. The Browns are rushing four on the play.

As you can see in this shot, the Browns have everyone covered on the play. The two underneath flats are the only players who could even make a catch, but the two linebackers are tracking them closely. Both linebackers are in striking distance of making a shot yardage stop or an incompletion. The other key is the rush from Jabaal Sheard on the outside edge. Sheard is past his blocker and on his way to the quarterback.

Jabaal Sheard and the coverage in the secondary forced Roethlisberger to throw to his checkdown Heath Miller in the flat. But he has to rush because of Sheard, causing the incompletion to Miller. If Miller had caught the pass, Karlos Dansby is there to make the stop for a short gain.

The pass defense was much better this week especially from Buster Skrine. Skrine looked much better in coverage this week after struggling against the Titans last week. I believe a big key in the improved coverage is the breakout of the slot corner K’Waun Williams. Williams gives the Browns three good corners to rely on in pass coverage. Another key was the ability of Joe Haden to prevent any big plays from receiver Antonio Brown. Haden did not let Brown make a huge game changing play all game. Browns had a lot of yards, but his average per catch was not that high as past games versus the Browns.

Defensive Standout

This week’s defensive standout is Karlos Dansby. Dansby has been the defense’s best player so far this season and his great play continued this week versus the Steelers. On Sunday, Dansby had 11 tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, and a quarterback hit. ProFootballFocus graded his performance the highest of the entire defense. He graded out positive in all three categories of PFF (run defense, pass rush, and pass coverage). Dansby is the team leader of the defense and the one who gets his teammates into the right position to make the play.

Defensive Lowlight

The defensive lowlight is the injury to defensive lineman Armonty Bryant. Bryant has been starting for the Browns over the last couple weeks and has been playing solidly in the first four games of the season. This injury weakens the Browns defensive line that has already lost Phil Taylor for a couple weeks. Bryant was one of the Browns better pass rushers and one of the good young players on the defense.