The Browns success of defense will probably propel Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz to an NFL head coaching position in 2024. Thus, the Browns may have to either make him their Head Coach, replacing Kevin Stefanski, or wave goodbye. He, along with Myles Garrett, are the two Superstars that made the defense the scourge of the NFL in the first half of the season.

Injuries have worn down the defense’s effectiveness, but if they get back on track and especially if they take the Browns to the playoffs, Schwartz will not go unnoticed by the rest of the NFL. He will be gone.

Schwartz was the DC for the Eagles when they won the Super Bowl. He also was the Head Coach for the Detroit Lions from 2009 to 2013 and took them to the playoffs. That was not easy to do.

What is really cool is that he started his career with your Cleveland Browns under Coach Bill Belichick. This is home for him. He also had success with the Tennessee Titans as their Defensive Coordinator from 2001 to 2008, and the Rex Ryan Buffalo Bills. The past two years were spent as a special defensive assistant in Tennessee under Mike Vrabel, another Belichick protégé.

The Cleveland Browns were awesome on defense the first half of the season, especially in shutting down opposing passing games. The Browns are currently number one in the NFL in pass defense, yielding only 1841 yards. Earlier in the season, they were ranked number one in net yards per attempt, though after a few poor games they are now ranked third with 5.2. They rank only 14th versus the run with 1285 yards given up, though earlier in the year they were in the top five.

So, was it Belichick or Tom Brady for the Patriots? Schwartz or Myles Garrett for the Browns? Probably a large dose of both.

Crucial to Schwartz’s advocacy will be a defensive rebound by the Browns after back-to-back to losses to Denver and the Los Angeles Rams. In the last game, the banged-up defensive line did not generate pressure and the fourth quarter belonged to the Rams. In both losses, however, risky plays on offense contributed to turnovers which knocked Cleveland out of the game. We shall see if they have the discipline to avoid that against Jacksonsville.

If the defense rebounds, Schwartz can hardly fail to obtain a head coaching offer, and the Browns may be forced to either promote him to Head Coach in place of Stefanski or let Schwartz go.

Stefanski has been a very good coach despite the tendency to get overly creative at times. Fans love to criticize his play calling, but this is little more than second guessing. Whenever the Browns have a setback on offense, you can always say it was the wrong call.

This writer has complained that the Coach has not adjusted to having a team with a mediocre offense and high-performing defense. However, a counter-argument is that the Browns have been bad on both sides of the ball the past two games and thus desperation moves may be the only options. Schwartz’s defense can cut off that line of reasoning.

Stefanski deserves to continue as Head Coach. But is Schwartz an even better opportunity? Stay tuned for another episode of “As the Dawg Pound Turns.”