The interior of the Commanders defense has received a lot of attention in the week leading up to the Browns' Week 5 matchup in Washington.
"They're playing at a high level, a very aggressive front," Head coach Kevin Stefanski said on Wednesday. "Those two guys inside are as good as any two guys that anybody has. So, they present a huge challenge."
Leading the charge for the Commanders defensive line is DT Jonathan Allen, who had 5.5 sacks last season, and DT Daron Payne, who had four sacks in 2023 and 11.5 in 2022. The Commanders defensive tackles pose a threat to a Brown offensive line that is down to one starter with RG Wyatt Teller on IR and LT Jedrick Wills Jr., RT Jack Conklin and C Ethan Pocic limited in practice due to injuries.
LG Joel Bitonio said Thursday he has been preparing rookie RG Zak Zinter for the challenge of facing the Washington interior as the Michigan product gets ready to make his second career start. Bitonio, who makes a "tip sheet" for himself as he prepares for his matchups, made a similar list for Zinter to give him an idea of what he might see on Sunday.
"I joked with him that it's a little tough start for the defensive tackles he has to face early in his career," Bitonio said. "But he's so focused and he's working hard."
The Browns offensive line, which has faced a variety of injuries this season, has struggled to protect QB Deshaun Watson, who has been sacked 19 times and pressured 73 times this season – both more than any other quarterback in the NFL through the first four weeks.
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the Washington Commanders at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Tight end Jordan Akins (88) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Defensive tackle Shelby Harris (93) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Wide receiver Michael Woods II (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Running back Nyheim Hines (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Wide receiver Michael Woods II (81) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Defensive tackle Shelby Harris (93) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Running back Pierre Strong Jr. (20) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Pass Game Specialist/Tight Ends Coach Tommy Rees during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Linebacker Nathaniel Watson (40) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Linebacker Khaleke Hudson (39) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Cornerback Kahlef Hailassie (25) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Defensive tackle Jowon Briggs (97) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Linebacker Michael Barrett (48) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Defensive end Sam Kamara (92) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Tight end Geoff Swaim (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 2, 2024.
Running back Nick Chubb (24) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on October 3, 2024.
The Browns could be in position to take advantage of a Washington defense that has struggled to pressure opposing quarterbacks this season. The Commanders have allowed seven yards per passing play, the fifth-most in the NFL, and generate pressure on just 27.3 percent of plays, the sixth-lowest rate in the NFL per Next Gen Stats.
However, opposing defense aside, the Browns are focused on correcting the mistakes that have led them to a 1-3 record.
"If we can eliminate the [missed assignments], if we eliminate the penalties, the stuff that's hurting ourselves, I think we'll be in a better position," Bitonio said.
Pre-snap penalties have been a problem for the Browns since their Week 1 loss to the Cowboys, in which they were flagged four times due to false starts or illegal formation penalties. By starting drives already behind schedule, facing first-and-15 instead of first-and-10, the Browns have converted just 20.8 percent of third downs – the lowest in the NFL.
"Penalties, pre-snap, illegal formations, holding, all those things just take you back and just not executing the easy thing," Bitonio said. "So, we're focused on winning first and second down so third down is a little bit more manageable."
One way the Browns could find more success on early downs is establishing a strong rushing attack. Cleveland has run for over 100 yards only once this season, in their 18-13 win over the Jaguars in Week 2.
Meanwhile, the Commanders defense has struggled against the run at times this season, allowing 5.3 rushing yards per play, the second-most in the NFL, and the most rushing plays of 10 or more yards in the league.
"Teams have been double teaming [Payne and Allen] a little bit on some of the zero plays and inside zones and so you get four hands on them and kind of stand on those," Bitonio said on the Commanders run defense. "There's been some missed tackles in the secondary and things of that nature. But that comes down to execution. If we call a run, we have to make sure we're blocking it right."
