Two AFC North teams each had two players in the Top 10 of the NFL Top 100 – the Bengals and the Ravens.
After holding the Bengals top 10 players, QB Joe Burrow and WR Ja'Marr Chase, to 113 passing and 26 receiving yards, respectively, in Week 1, the Browns' defense is now tasked with the same challenge in Week 2. On Sept. 14 when the Browns travel to Baltimore, they will have to hold NFL Top 10 players, QB Lamar Jackson and RB Derrick Henry, in check.
"They're the best run team in the NFL, and that's Derrick Henry, but also Lamar Jackson with the scrambles and designed quarterback runs, which everybody sees a lot of," defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. "We're going to have to do a good job on his scrambles."
Against the Bills in Week 1, Jackson and Henry showcased why they are two of the top 10 players in the NFL. Jackson threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns and added 70 yards and a touchdown on the ground. He averaged more than 10 yards per pass and carry. Henry added 169 rushing yards and two touchdowns, building off a 1,900-plus yard rushing season in 2024. Henry rattled off two 30-plus rushing touchdowns while Jackson's two passing touchdowns were both more than 20 yards, showcasing the pair's ability to break off big plays.
According to CB Denzel Ward, the defense doing their job is the Browns' key to stopping the explosive plays from Baltimore. Some of these explosive plays come from Jackson's ability to extend plays with his legs, a trait Schwartz has prepared his players for.
"Coach (Jim) Schwartz, has been doing a great job, and our coaches have been doing a great job of telling the guys that and telling us that we have to keep playing," Ward said. "This is a guy that's been able to extend plays, and you have to keep rushing and keep playing, keep covering until they blow that whistle, until the play is completely over."
In 2023 and 2024, Jackson led quarterbacks in rushing yards, finishing with 821 and 915 yards, respectively. Ward said that Jackson has the ability to run around and hold onto the ball, making a play last longer than it normally would with another quarterback playing. Head coach Kevin Stefanski talked about the difficulty of getting prepared to play Jackson.
"(Lamar Jackson's) a great player. He's physically gifted. Like we talked about before, he can beat you with his arm, with his legs, and beat you from the pocket, outside the pocket. So, we understand the challenge. It doesn't make it easy," Stefanski said. "You practice hard against a look that you're trying to show what he can do, but it's impossible to replicate that."
Browse photos of the Cleveland Browns practicing at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus as they prepare for their Week 2 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Running back Quinshon Judkins (10) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Defensive tackle Mason Graham (94) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Defensive tackle Maliek Collins (96) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Tight end Blake Whiteheart (86) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Running back Quinshon Judkins (10) and Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Wide receiver Isaiah Bond (16) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (42) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Tight end David Njoku (85) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Running back Quinshon Judkins (10) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Running back Ahmani Marshall (39) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Defensive end Cameron Thomas (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (44) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate (43) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Linebacker Jerome Baker (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Wide receiver Isaiah Bond (16) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Defensive Assistant Zach Dunn during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (44) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Offensive lineman Garrett Dellinger (52) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Tight end Brenden Bates (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Offensive guard Wyatt Teller (77) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Tight end Blake Whiteheart (86) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy (3) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Safety Rayshawn Jenkins (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Wide receiver Gage Larvadain (84) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Defensive end Cameron Thomas (99) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Tight end Brenden Bates (82) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Quarterback Joe Flacco (15) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Defensive tackle Shelby Harris (93) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Linebacker Devin Bush (30) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Running back Dylan Sampson (22) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Defensive back Jarrick Bernard-Converse (20) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Center Luke Wypler (56) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Linebacker Jerome Baker (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Assistant Offensive Line Coach Ben Wilkerson during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger (49) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio (54) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Offensive lineman Garrett Dellinger (52) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Defensive back Jarrick Bernard-Converse (20) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 10, 2025.
Defensive end K.J. Henry (58) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Running back Quinshon Judkins (10) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Center Luke Wypler (56) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Running back Raheim Sanders (35) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
Quarterback Dillon Gabriel (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on September 11, 2025.
When Baltimore added Henry into its backfield in 2024, it added a new wrinkle to the offense. Stefanski called Henry a rare combination of size, speed and power, and said the Browns have a tremendous amount of respect for him.
With a running back of that caliber and size, Ward said defenders have to take their shots against Henry to try and tackle him. In the Browns and Ravens 2024 Week 8 matchup, S Grant Delpit took his shot at Henry, coming in from his left side and dropping Henry to the ground.
"(It's just) playing football," Delpit said. "It's tackle football. Someone has the ball, you have to bring them down."
For rookie LB Carson Schwesinger, it's his first opportunity to play against Jackson and Henry. He noted that the Ravens' offense likes to get downhill early, giving him a chance early into the game to get his first taste of trying to stop Jackson and Henry. However, the UCLA product isn't fazed by the challenge.
"I think regardless of whoever I'm playing, (not stopping until the whistle) is in my mind," Schwesinger said. "I'm not stopping until the whistle blows and even then, sometimes."
Schwartz isn't worried about Schwesinger going against the Ravens star duo, but he recognized that Schwesinger has a big responsibility. At the MIKE spot on defense, Schwesinger will be in the middle of the second level charged with stopping Jackson and Henry if either gets past the defensive line. Schwartz noted that Schwesinger is just one of 11 players on the field, and everybody needs to tackle.
"We have to get people to the ball," Schwartz said. "Our corners have to do a good job tackling off the edge. Defensive linemen, linebackers need to do a good job filling those A and B gaps. It's going to take a team effort."
Going into the game against the Ravens, the Browns' defense showcased that they could slow down a dangerous offense in the NFL in Week 1. On Sept. 14, they will again be charged with slowing down a top NFL duo. With the Browns aiming to be one of the top defenses in the NFL, going against players like Jackson and Henry, all 11 players need to execute the game plan.
"We have to take it a game at a time. We want to be the best defense in the league and (the Bengals game) was the first step and help out our offense and special teams out the best way as we can," Ward said.
