Gregg Williams’ painfully conservative defensive calls are costing the Browns

The Cleveland Browns are a week away from the merciful end to a 2017 season that still hasn’t produced a win. The defense has had its moments during the rough year and even stuffed the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15 with a goal line stand that ended with a turnover on downs.

But the Ravens still found the end zone twice in the first half of a 27-10, including a painfully easy 2-yard rushing touchdown for Joe Flacco.

Why was it so easy? Maybe because Joe Schobert was a full five yards deep in the end zone when Flacco started running, leaving the Browns linebacker no chance at getting to the goal line in time to make a play.

It’s not an unfamiliar sight in Browns games, where defensive backs have played a ridiculous distance from the line of scrimmage. Just last week, the conservative strategy proved costly when the Green Bay Packers dug out of a 21-7 hole in the fourth quarter and won the game in overtime.

Every step of the way, the Browns had defensive backs playing deep. Like way, way deep:

Even in overtime, when the Packers needed just a field goal to win, the Browns had a safety 20 yards deep:

Then it happened again in Week 16 when the soft defense near the goal line allowed Mitchell Trubisky to run right up the gut for a touchdown.

Williams gave an explanation for his defense earlier this week:

Those reasons are probably that Williams doesn’t trust the talent he has on the roster, which is: A) understandable on a winless team, but also B) throwing his players under the bus. Maybe the Browns defensive backs would get burned if they were closer to the line of scrimmage, but getting nickeled and dimed to death isn’t working well either.