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Below, we analyze the snap counts and stats on defense for the Cleveland Browns' Week 11 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Defensive Line
| Pos | Player | Plays | % | Stats |
| DL | Emmanuel Ogbah | 53 | 77% | 1 tackle (1 combined). 2 QH. |
| DL | Jamie Meder | 50 | 72% | 2 tackles (2 combined). |
| DL | Danny Shelton | 47 | 68% | 1 tackles, 1 assist (2 combined). 1 QH. |
| DL | Carl Nassib |
37 | 54% | 1 assist (1 combined). |
| DL | Stephen Paea | 23 | 33% | 1 tackle (1 combined). |
| DL | Xavier Cooper |
23 |
33% | 1 assist (1 combined). |
| DL | Tyrone Holmes |
7 | 10% | No stats registered. |
The Browns went extra deep this week on the defensive line, playing seven players (Xavier Cooper was back in the mix after being inactive the previous week). Emmanuel Ogbah was credited with a couple of quarterback hurries and Danny Shelton got a nice hit on Ben Roethlisberger. Overall, it was an underwhelming type of day as Pittsburgh controlled the line of scrimmage and saw Le'Veon Bell average 5.2 YPC on 28 carries.
Outside Linebacker
| Pos | Player | Plays | % | Stats |
| OLB | Jamie Collins |
69 | 100% | 4 tackles, 4 assists (8 combined). 1 QH, 1 FF. |
| OLB | Cam Johnson | 31 | 45% | 1 tackles, 2 assists (3 combined). |
| OLB | Joe Schobert |
2 | 3% | 1 tackle (1 combined). |
Maybe the wind had something to do with it, but this was the fewest points (24) and yards (313) that the Browns' defense has allowed all season. If I'm being optimistic, I'd like to think that Jamie Collins and a mini-unsung-hero at free safety (Ed Reynolds) have helped to offer a shred of stability to the defense. Collins forced a fumble on Le'Veon Bell early in the game, but it happened too close to the sideline so nobody could recover it.
Inside Linebacker
| Pos | Player | Plays | % | Stats |
| ILB | Christian Kirksey | 69 | 100% | 6 tackles, 3 assists (9 combined). 1 pass defended. |
| ILB | Demario Davis | 35 | 51% | 4 tackles, 3 assists (7 combined). |
This was a week where the Browns needed their inside linebackers to attack the line of scrimmage better, especially on those looooooonnng drives Pittsburgh put together in the first half. Instead, Le'Veon Bell was literally able to hover around behind the line of scrimmage for two seconds before picking his hole and running to it.
Safety
| Pos | Player | Plays | % | Stats |
| S | Ed Reynolds |
69 | 100% | 4 tackles, 1 assist (5 combined). |
| S | Derrick Kindred |
67 | 97% | 2 tackles, 4 assists (6 combined). 2 passes defended. |
PFF says this was Derrick Kindred's best game of the season, but I feel like offering up some praise to Ed Reynolds. One of the things I value about a good safety is one who is successful at being the last line of defense in the open field -- when everyone else fails, the safety keeps it to a 10 yard gain instead of a 25 yard gain or breakaway touchdown. I felt Reynolds achieved that a couple of times. This was also the first time in awhile in which Ray Horton stuck with two safeties instead of rotating three or four guys in. Tracy Howard and Ibraheim Campbell did not take a defensive snap this week.
Cornerback
| Pos | Player | Plays | % | Stats |
| CB | Joe Haden | 69 | 100% | 3 tackles, 2 assists (5 combined). |
| CB | Jamar Taylor |
69 | 100% | 4 tackles (4 combined). |
| CB | Briean Boddy-Calhoun | 32 | 46% | 1 tackle, 1 assist (2 combined). 3 passes defended. |
| CB | Marcus Burley |
6 | 9% | 1 tackle, 1 assist (2 combined). |
On one hand, Joe Haden didn't allow Antonio Brown to have an All-Pro day. On the other hand, how many "positive" plays did Haden really have? Probably zero. He was also flagged in the end zone on an untimed down, which extended the half to help give Pittsburgh a 14-0 lead instead of a 6-0 lead heading to the third quarter. Briean Boddy-Calhoun did a good job against the inexperienced back end of the Steelers' depth chart at receiver, as he defended three passes. Marcus Burley saw what was (to my best recollection) his first defensive snaps of the season.