Joe Woods and Myles Garrett

Browns Coordinator Joe WoodsFILE - In this Aug. 5, 2018, file photo, Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Woods takes part in drills at the team's NFL football training camp in Englewood, Colo. Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski has hired Woods as his defensive coordinator, the team announced Friday, Feb. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Posted By: County Sports Network February 22, 2020

Defensive Coordinator Joe Woods

By STEVE KING

Yes, new Browns defensive coordinator Joe Woods has to figure out a way for his guys to get more – many, many more, way more – turnovers than they did last year.

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It won’t be that hard, because the Browns defense didn’t create many turnovers at all in 2019. And turnovers are key for a defense. Giving the ball back to the offense, especially with a short field, or, better yet, scoring directly off those turnovers, can easily equate to victories – or pretty close to it, anyway.

But while that’s important – very important, to be sure – it isn’t the most important thing on Woods’ to-do list. Rather, it is handling defensive end Myles Garrett.

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Garrett is the Browns’ best player – on either side of the ball – and as a dynamite pass rusher and otherwise intruder into the offensive backfield, he can have a direct impact on the creation of those turnovers. Think back to all the times he has affected games in the past. Woods said at his introductory press conference last week that Garrett is “just scratching the surface” of what he can be. If Woods can live up to his reputation and the hopes the Browns have for him, then he could help Garrett increase his production greatly, which, in turn, could help the defense, and the team overall, greatly.

But for Garrett to get to that point, he needs to get his head together and overcome all the emotional and mental issues that will come this season as he returns to the field after the ugly incident involving quarterback Mason Rudolph and the Pittsburgh Steelers last Nov. 14. That won’t be easy, since it will be a media freezing frenzy of epic proportions.

Thus, it’s easy to see that if the new Defensive Coordinator Joe Woods does nothing else, the beginning of his tenure in Cleveland will be a smashing, unqualified success if he can steer Garrett through all this.

Previously on Browns Daily Dose

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