They were clamped down on in the second half because they went very conservative and stopped trying to push the ball. Every single person in the stadium knew the calls were going to be run/run/pass in the 2nd half because the Ravens knew the Browns were not going to score 21. To that end I do not really care about the half when the Ravens were not really trying to score but I do care about the half that they were trying to score. Ravens drove down the field almost at will until they went super conservative to protect the lead.
Meanwhile now that we are a few games in we can step back and look at how the Browns seemingly great defense is doing relative to its competition. This was Lamar's best game of the year so this was clearly not the toughest defense the Ravens have faced. Most points the Ravens scored and again they took their foot off the gas. The Steelers had their 2nd best offensive game of the year against the Browns. We just watched the Bengals look awful now on offense for 4 weeks in a row. There has been nothing to suggest the Browns defense are better than other defenses. It just is not something we have seen.
I know the game is in 2 weeks but I looked up the line and its at -3.5--4.5. The 49ers are winning that game by double digits so get in on the 49ers. I am more confident in that result than when we had our week 1 debate about the Cowboys destroying the Giants or the 49ers destroying the Steelers (that one was easy because the Steelers are an overhyped media darling), or the Eagles against the Patriots (which I almost lost). This one is free money. The Browns and Steelers are simply not that good. They are overhyped media darlings and it looks like the AFC North is not quite as good as advertised even in a few weeks if Burrow gets health it will be a 2 team race.
lol I don't care about the point spread. That's actually not a big line at all. I was commenting on the likelihood of you suggesting the 49ers are going to go out and hang 40 on them. I would borrow as much $ as I could get to hammer the under on that. 49ers offense doesn't have that kind of fire power, and have been held to significantly less by weaker defenses.
If they did managed to do it, it would largely be similar to the Ravens... defenses forces, or in this case, is gift-wrapped, several key turnovers.
A lot of teams know what's coming and still can't stop it. Browns did. Run/Run/Pass is a perfectly reasonable gameplan up 18. Doesn't mean the defense can do anything about it. They need.
You'll see as the year moves on what's what.