Browns vs. Panthers: Analyzing the Snap Counts (Defense)

The Browns' defense still allowed the Panthers to run wild with Jonathan Stewart and Cam Newton, but they held tough in the points department, only allowing 17 in the return of ILB Karlos Dansby. It wasn't enough to secure a win, though, thanks to another lackluster performance from the other side of the ball. Let's take a look back at the defensive snap counts from Week 16. [Week 16 offensive snap counts for Cleveland can be found here]

Defensive Line
Desmond Bryant	Sione Fua	Ishmaa'ily Kitchen	Billy Winn	Ahtyba Rubin
75% 59/79 plays	57% 45/79 plays	47% 37/79 plays	46% 36/79 plays	23% 18/79 plays

Desmond Bryant: 1 tackle, 1 assist (2 combined).
Sione Fua: 3 tackles, 1 assist (4 combined).
Ish'maaily Kitchen: 5 assists (5 combined).
Billy Winn: 1 assist (1 combined). 1 interception, 1 pass defended.
Ahtyba Rubin: 1 tackle (1 combined).

Thoughts: With more injuries to the defensive line, that forced Fua to take on a bigger workload than usual. As I've been saying for a couple of weeks now, this unit will be overhauled in the offseason. The highlight of the game defensively came on Winn's diving interception, when we learned that Winn can trap a ball going to the ground better than Josh Gordon can.

Inside Linebacker
Karlos Dansby	Chris Kirksey	Craig Robertson
100% 79/79 plays	49% 39/79 plays	44% 35/79 plays

Karlos Dansby: 5 tackles, 7 assists (12 combined). 1 tackle for loss.
Chris Kirksey: 3 tackles, 2 assists (5 combined).
Craig Robertson: 2 tackles, 5 assists (7 combined).

Thoughts: Dansby didn't miss a single snap in his return to action and his presence was felt as the Panthers got down near the red zone. Robertson returned to his normal nickelback role, meaning the Browns continued to operate with he and Kirksey playing distinct roles.

Outside Linebacker
Barkevious Mingo	Paul Kruger	Jabaal Sheard	Scott Solomon
66% 52/79 plays	66% 52/79 plays	38% 30/79 plays	33% 26/79 plays

Barkevious Mingo: 1 tackle, 1 assist (2 combined).
Paul Kruger: 3 tackles, 4 assists (7 combined). 1 tackle for loss.
Jabaal Sheard: 2 tackles (2 combined).
Scott Solomon: 2 tackles, 2 assists (4 combined). 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss, 1 forced fumble.

Thoughts: It's not a good look when a guy signed off the street out-performs the guys who have been playing all season:

Scott Solomon was the highest rated Browns player on @PFF. Graded out as a 5.9 on 26 snaps. Nice little find right before the offseason.

— Kevin Jones (@Mr_KevinJones) December 22, 2014

As DBN's Tim Miller noted during the game, though, Solomon had a good matchup advantage for that particular game. The outing itself seemed very reminiscent of when Matt Roth was signed off the street several years ago and did the same thing.

Cornerback
Buster Skrine	Pierre Desir	Justin Gilbert	Robert Nelson
97% 77/79 plays	96% 76/79 plays	22% 17/79 plays	11% 9/79 plays

Buster Skrine: 2 tackles (2 combined).
Pierre Desir: 7 tackles (7 combined). 2 passes defended.
Justin Gilbert: No stats registered.
Robert Nelson: No stats registered.

Thoughts: Desir started in place of Haden and played most of the game. He didn't have a lights out performance, but if you took the tape of how awkward he looked in the preseason and how comfortable he looked against Carolina, it would be night and day. Gilbert is still having some practice week issues, whatever those may be, that are keeping him from having a larger role.

Safety
Donte Whitner	Jim Leonhard	Jordan Poyer
100% 79/79 plays	97% 77/79 plays	33% 26/79 plays

Donte Whitner: 5 tackles, 3 assists (8 combined).
Jim Leonhard: 4 tackles, 1 assist (5 combined).
Jordan Poyer: 1 assist (1 combined).

Thoughts: It's a shame that Poyer wasn't credited with a touchdown when he took the ball from teammate Billy Winn after his interception. Poyer went up to Winn immediately as he rolled over, but the heads up play was not rewarded.