As the Browns prepare for their first matchup of the season against the Ravens, better execution in all three phases will be a top priority in practice this week.
Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz each emphasized the importance of better execution and playing up to team standards if the Browns are to snap their five-game losing streak.
Here's a breakdown of what each coach said of their respective units' need to play better ahead of the Browns' Week 8 matchup.
Special teams
In their first divisional game of the season – which resulted in a loss to the Bengals – the Browns kickoff unit allowed a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Just 12 seconds into the game, the offense found itself playing from behind.
"Got to execute better, got to start faster," special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Bubba Ventrone said on Thursday. "That's on me. We've got to do a better job, got to coach it up better and got to have a better result. That unit's been a good unit for us this year and I think we'll bounce back moving forward."
The issues on special teams continued, with K Dustin Hopkins missing both a 49-yard field goal attempt as well as a point after attempt after the Browns' first touchdown of the game.
Hopkins has made 10 of his 13 field goal attempts and has missed a pair of extra point attempts this season. Last year, he set a Browns record with eight successful field goal attempts from 50 or more yards.
"He's done a good job for us since he's been here," Ventrone said. "I think he does a good job of I would say self-diagnosing and making the corrections. He's hit a lot of big kicks, including a game-winner versus the team we're about to play here this upcoming week."
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the Baltimore Ravens at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Cornerbacks Coach Brandon Lynch during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Offensive tackle Michael Dunn (68) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Tight end Jordan Akins (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Offensive tackle Roy Mbaeteka (61) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Linebacker Khaleke Hudson (39) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Offensive Coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Tight end Geoff Swaim (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Running back Gary Brightwell (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Linebacker Khaleke Hudson (39) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Defensive Quality Control Coach Jeff Anderson during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Defensive Line Coach Jacques Cesaire during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Offensive Assistant/Run Game Specialist Nick Charlton during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Senior Offensive Assistant Bill Musgrave during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Safety Trey Dean (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 23, 2024.
Center Cameron Tom (64) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Running back Pierre Strong Jr. (20) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 24, 2024.
Offense
Playing clean and efficient football will be important in all three phases against a Ravens defense that has the fourth-most sacks in the NFL with 22.
For the Browns offense, there will be two important factors that will be unique to the Ravens game. After QB Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, Jameis Winston will start at quarterback. Additionally, head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Wednesday that Dorsey would take over play calling duties against the Ravens and moving forward this season.
Dorsey said Thursday that the corrections needed on offense transcend who is calling the plays.
"There's not a magic coach or a magic pill to play better on offense," Dorsey said. "It's going to be work. It's going to be attention to detail. It's going to be us at the end of the day locking in and fighting and going out and playing with extreme physicality, playing with speed, playing with confidence."
The Browns offense has yet to score over 20 points in a game, while the Ravens defense is allowing 25.7 points per game, the sixth-highest point total in the NFL. For the Browns to snap their streak of scoring under 20 points, eliminating penalties and correctable errors will be crucial.
False starts and offensive holding penalties have prevented the Browns from capitalizing on offensive drives this season. Only the Seahawks have a higher combined false starts and offensive holding penalties, with 24 to the Browns' 22.
"We really have to focus on us and our execution," Dorsey said. "I think that's the biggest focus I have. And the thing you learn from in the past is if you focus on yourself and you focus on your execution, a lot of times that other stuff is going to take care of itself."
Defense
With a 1-6 record, Schwartz emphasized the defense's need to play up to its standards and focus on following through on the schemes worked on in practice each day.
and executing our schemes, playing with good fundamentals, tackling, rushing the passer and covering," Schwartz said.
Schwartz referenced the Ravens' ability to create explosive plays on offense when asked about the combination of RB Derrick Henry and QB Lamar Jackson, who rank in the top three in the NFL in runs for over 40 yards.
In addition to their explosiveness on the ground, the Ravens have 21 passing plays for 20 or more yards and six for 40 or more yards.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland defense has struggled at times to contain offenses, allowing the sixth-most passing plays for 20 or more yards with 21 and nine rushing plays for 20 or more yards, the most in the NFL.
Although the Browns defense played well overall against the Bengals, holding them to 14 points on offense and just 223 total yards, Schwartz said that the final score of the game gave him no reason to be happy with his unit's performance.
"Yeah, we weren't happy at all. I mean, you lose the game, there's no consolation prizes, there's no participation trophies," Schwartz said. "We gave up two touchdowns and you're like, okay, well, if we could have held one of those to a field goal, both of them were on the fringe area. Make a tackle here, get a [pass breakup] there, maybe that game changes a little bit."
Schwartz said he thought the Browns run defense has improved over the past few games, holding the Bengals to 59 rushing yards two weeks after allowing the Commanders to run for 215 yards. However, with the multiplicity of weapons the Ravens have at their disposal, the Browns have to be ready to combat both the Ravens passing and rushing attacks.
"There's some games you can go up and you say, 'Hey, if we stop the run, we win the game,' or, 'If we stop the pass, we win the game," Schwartz said. "With these guys, you can't say that. They've got a lot of playmakers and things like that. We just have to play good overall team defense, and we have to play with our style, and we have to be physical."
