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The Browns' defense had trouble getting off the field this week after the first quarter. They were on the field for 75 snaps and just never had an answer for the bootleg or other creative things the Redskins were doing. The snap count distributions for the Browns' defenders against the Redskins are listed below. [Week 15 offensive snap counts for Cleveland can be found here]
| Defensive Tackle |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahtyba Rubin | Billy Winn | Phil Taylor | John Hughes | Ishmaa'ily Kitchen |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| 72% 54/75 plays |
57% 43/75 plays |
44% 33/75 plays |
37% 28/75 plays |
17% 13/75 plays |
Phil Taylor: 4 tackle, 1 assist (5 combined).
John Hughes: 4 assists (4 combined).
Billy Winn: 2 tackles, 3 assists (5 combined).
Ahtyba Rubin: 1 assist (1 combined).
Ishmaa'ily Kitchen: 1 assist (1 combined).
Thoughts: While I haven't checked the tape, I would assume that some of Billy Winn's reps came at defensive end this week since Frostee Rucker suffered an injury during the game. That would also explain the additional snaps that Ishmaa'ily Kitchen had. I thought the defensive line got some good penetration in stopping the run, but it worked to their disadvantage on the rollouts by Cousins.
| Defensive End |
||
|---|---|---|
| Jabaal Sheard | Juqua Parker | Frostee Rucker |
 |
 |
 |
| 91% 68/75 plays |
49% 37/75 plays |
31% 23/75 plays |
Jabaal Sheard: 3 tackles (3 combined). 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss, 1 quarterback hit, 1 forced fumble.
Juqua Parker: 2 tackles, 1 assist (3 combined). 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss, 1 forced fumble.
Frostee Rucker: 1 assist (1 combined).
Thoughts: The defensive ends were able to inflict some damage early on, and both Jabaal Sheard and Juqua Parker forced fumbles (that weren't able to be recovered) during the game. Frostee Rucker left the game with an injury, which is why his reps were low.
| Linebacker |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| D'Qwell Jackson | James-Michael Johnson | Kaluka Maiava | Craig Robertson |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| 100% 75/75 plays |
55% 41/75 plays |
53% 40/75 plays |
45% 34/75 plays |
D'Qwell Jackson: 6 tackles, 3 assists (9 combined).
Craig Robertson: 3 tackles, 3 assists (6 combined). 1 quarterback hit.
Kaluka Maiava: 4 tackles, 1 assist (5 combined). 1 quarterback hit.
James-Michael Johnson: 2 tackles, 2 assists (4 combined).
Thoughts: The linebackers all had a good amount of tackles, but I think you have to put some of the blame on them for the Redskins' continued success with the rollouts and tight end Logan Paulsen constantly running wide open on those plays.
| Cornerback |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Haden | Sheldon Brown | Dimitri Patterson | Buster Skrine |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| 100% 75/75 plays |
100% 75/75 plays |
47% 35/75 plays |
1% 1/75 plays |
Sheldon Brown: 5 tackles, 1 assist (6 combined).
Joe Haden: 3 tackles (3 combined). 2 passes defended.
Dimitri Patterson: 2 tackles (2 combined).
Buster Skrine: No stats registered.
Thoughts: With the amount of reps Dimitri Patterson received in a game like this, you just wouldn't have pictured him being cut the very next day. I guess we'll see a lot more of Buster Skrine again over the final two games after he only played one snap against the Redskins. You can bank on Trevin Wade being active again too.
| Safety |
||
|---|---|---|
| Usama Young | Tashaun Gipson | T.J. Ward |
 |
 |
 |
| 69% 52/75 plays |
68% 51/75 plays |
63% 47/75 plays |
T.J. Ward: 5 tackles (5 combined). 1 tackle for loss, 1 interception, 1 pass defended.
Usama Young: 4 tackles (4 combined).
Tashaun Gipson: 3 tackles (3 combined).
Thoughts: It's a real shame that T.J. Ward got hurt in this game, because I thought he was having his best game of the season. It's just not just because he had an interception off of a deflection. Early on, he served as a great wedge-buster to help blow up some run plays. He also delivered a nice, clean lick on a Redskins receiver. Usama Young botched a fumble recovery that could have given the Browns a slight chance to rally.
History of Snap Counts on Defense:
-Week 1: Philadelphia vs. Cleveland
-Week 2: Cleveland vs. Cincinnati
-Week 3: Buffalo vs. Cleveland
-Week 4: Cleveland vs. Baltimore
-Week 5: Cleveland vs. New York Giants
-Week 6: Cincinnati vs. Cleveland
-Week 7: Cleveland vs. Indianapolis
-Week 8: San Diego vs. Cleveland
-Week 9: Baltimore vs. Cleveland
-Week 11: Cleveland vs. Dallas
-Week 12: Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
-Week 13: Cleveland vs. Oakland
-Week 14: Kansas City vs. Cleveland