The Browns' defense was supposed to be different this year. Week 1 showed they still have work to do

BrownsThe Browns’ new defensive identity got a Week 1 reality check in loss to Jaguars — Ashley BastockJacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Josh Cameron catches as pass for a touchdown as Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward can’t get a hand on it in the first half of play. John Kuntz, cleveland.comBy Ashley Bastock, cleveland.comCLEVELAND, Ohio — Most of the talk after the Browns Week 1 34-10 beat down at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars will be about the quarterback.But don’t let Deshaun Watson’s performance distract you from the fact that the defense got absolutely carved up.After months of talk about a new identity under coordinator Mike Rutenberg, dawg food, the ball being oxygen, disguising coverages and playing violent football, the Browns began the season on a whimper.What grade do you give Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson in Week 1 vs. the Jaguars? (poll)Deshaun Watson’s return and Todd Monken’s debut couldn’t have gone worse in 34-10 loss to the Jaguars in the openerThe Browns looked completely overmatched in Jacksonville and it was painful to watch: Dan LabbeJags quarterback Trevor Lawrence went 18 of 23 for 245 yards with four touchdown passes, picking apart the secondary. For months, most of the talk surrounding the Cleveland D was about the possibility of mystery and disguising different looks, especially via adding more zone looks.That’s a decision that I especially wondered about coming into the regular season.Under former coordinator Jim Schwartz the last few years, the Browns have heavily relied on man coverage. Last year, they led the league playing man 43.4% of the time. The next highest team, the Broncos, played man 32.1% of the time, per Sharp Football Analysis.It’s been successful, and I would argue, the Browns are built to do it. In fact, last year they even traded for Tyson Campbell, acquiring him from the Jaguars because he was adept in man coverage — Jacksonville didn’t think he could fill quite the same role as they transitioned to playing more zone in a new scheme under DC Anthony Campanile.After what appeared to be numerous busted coverages and miscommunications on Sunday, it’s hard not to be taken back to a few years prior, in the 2022 season before Schwartz’s arrival. Under then coordinator Joe Woods, the team tried to incorporate more man after similar busts and confusions and spent most of the year talking about simplifying the defensive playbook. The lowlight was a Week 2 loss to the Jets in which they gave up two touchdowns in the final 82 seconds. And I really think most of the defensive issues on Sunday started with the backend.One of the most popular phrases among this defensive group is the idea of rush and coverage working together.When the coverage doesn’t hold up, it’s near impossible for your front to attack the same way. The QB just doesn’t need to hold onto the ball as long.And it ultimately showed in the numbers. Up front, the Browns had just one sack from Mason Graham — the first solo sack of his career. They had just three total quarterback hits.But otherwise, upfront Cleveland got out-muscled against a Jaguars offensive line that also features a rookie in guard Emmanuel Pregnon. They also forced no takeaways. And that’s the part that makes Sunday feel especially concerning.The Browns spent the entire offseason talking about a new defensive identity. On Sunday, they didn’t look connected.They looked confused. They looked a step slow. And, perhaps most concerning, they looked like a defense still trying to figure out exactly what it wants to be after being one of the best in the league over the last three years.There’s plenty of time for that to change. One game doesn’t erase what this group has done over the last few years, and it certainly doesn’t mean the Browns can’t become the defense Rutenberg envisioned when he took over.But the Browns didn’t just lose their season opener Sunday. They lost the first real opportunity to show that all of those summer conversations meant something.Instead, Jacksonville exposed a defense that still has some very basic questions to answer.Ashley Bastock is an award-winning Browns beat reporter for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, a role she has held since October 2021. She focuses on telling unique, in-depth Browns feature stories and...