Cleveland Browns notebook: No stopping the run

BEREA, Ohio -- Mike Pettine's calling card in the NFL has been on defense.

Specifically, helping resurrect the Bills defense to a top ten finish in the NFL last season. Pettine moved up through the ranks as linebackers coach before becoming a defensive coordinator with the Jets and Bills before being hired as the Browns head coach.

However, the Browns heading into the bye week are statistically near the bottom of teams in defense.

The Browns are ranked 31st overall in the NFL in total defense. They are 27th against the rush and the pass.

"The run thing is disappointing," Pettine said. "When we look at it, every run play we give up, every explosive play we give up, we evaluate. Was it technique? Was it scheme? Was it talent?

"Over time, as you build and you start to get some trends, if it's scheme, you either fix it or take it out," he said. "If it's technique you address it on the practice field and get that technique worked, perfected. If it's talent, you replace a guy or not put him in in that position to have to make that play.

"Just in broad terms, we look at all of the negative plays that we give up," he said. "In the run game, it's not any one thing. It's a combination of a number of things. It's technique on some, scheme on some, missed tackles on some. It wasn't any one thing that if we do this one thing it will be different. We need to get better in  our run defense across the board."

The most glaring in Sunday's loss was the way the Ravens were able to gash the Browns front seven for 160 yards.  The Ravens were missing their top two projected backs from before the season. Ray Rice was released for the domestic abuse incident and Bernard Pierce was inactive.

Still, rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro and Justin Forsett combined for 154 of the 160 yards on Sunday. In the previous week against the Saints, the Browns gave up 174 yards, even though Pettine said encouraging them to run the ball was part of the game plan. In the season opener with the Steelers, the Browns gave up 127 yards rushing to the Steelers.

The Browns are giving up an average of 153.7 yards through the first three games.

Paul Kruger said it's frustrating, but feels they can turn it around.

"We're definitely frustrated," Kruger said. "It's just (our) mentality. We have to work hard to correct.

"It's just a couple things here a couple things there," he said. "It's simple things we can correct on the field."

Kruger was asked what can be corrected.

"Tackling and gap assignment is pretty simple stuff," Kruger said. "It's just us making the plays on the field.

"Really simple stuff that you just cannot make in that type of game against a good team."

Linebacker Craig Robertson agreed.

"It's us," Robertson said. "We have to stay in our gaps and stop the run."

Kruger said the Browns are learning how to win close games.

"Closing out a game is big," he said. "When you play a good team like Baltimore, if you make a mistake you have a hard time overcoming it.

"It's tough to lose games like that," Kruger said. "In some cases, you feel like you beat yourself," he said. "It's a learned mentality. As you create a more competitive desire yourself, you realize how hard it is to win in this league. As you create that mentality, you'll start to notice the game is going your way at the end of the game. That's what I mean when I say we need to learn that mindset."

EXTRA POINTS

More Offense: The Browns have done something they haven't done in 45 years. That is, score at least 21 points in the first three games of a season. The last time the Browns accomplished the feat was in 1969 when they did so in the first seven games.

More Miles: Miles Austin had six receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown. He has touchdowns in back-to-back games for the first time since the first two games of the 2012 season when he played for the Cowboys.

Austin is second on the team behind WR Andrew Hawkins with 14 receptions for 115 yards (8.2 avg.) with two touchdowns.

New Snapper?: Pettine was asked if the Browns will look at possibly making a change at long snapper. LS Christian Yount had a couple of low snaps against the Ravens. After one snap on a 36-yard field goal attempt by K Billy Cundiff was blocked.

"I talked with (special teams coordinator Chris) Tabor," Pettine said. "That's something we'll look to address. I don't know if it calls for a change but it is to be discussed."

Yount took over for LS Ryan Pontbriand during the 2011 season and handled the duties for the final five games of that season. He snapped in all 16 games in 2012 and 2013.

"Bottom line business didn't put game away when we had chances."

Bye, Bye: Pettine said the Browns will practice Wednesday and Thursday before getting a long weekend off over the bye weekend. The Browns return to play the Titans on the road on Oct. 4.

Pretty Healthy: It appears the Browns head into the bye in pretty good shape health-wise. LB Barkevious Mingo (shoulder) and TE Jordan Cameron (shoulder) played against the Ravens and Pettine didn't mention that either suffered any setbacks.

RB Ben Tate (knee) was the only player that was injured that missed the game. Pettine was asked if he'd be the starter when he returns from the injury.

"We'll have a much better feel (when he returns)," Pettine said. "We are looking forward to getting Ben back."

Dawg Pound Special: Pettine said the play that QB Brian Hoyer threw to QB Johnny Manziel was the "Dawg Pound Special" because the play was run toward the side of the Dawg Pound.

The pass was completed for a 39-yard gain but RB Terrance West was called for an illegal shift.

Haslam Sr. Accident: Jim Haslam, Sr. the founder of Pilot Flying J and the father of Browns owner Jimmy Haslam was in a car accident in West Knoxville, Tn. on Monday afternoon according to the Knox News Sentinel.

Haslam Sr., 83, condition was unavailable.