For years, the AFC North has been a two-team race between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Year after year, the Ravens and Steelers have used the physicality of their defense to crush the rest of the AFC North and other foes alike. Now that Cincinnati is beginning to contend, there is no room at the top for the lowly Browns.
Apparently nobody told that to D’Qwell Jackson.
After seeing the top-defenses pummel the Browns, Jackson may have seen enough. So much so that Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that Jackson is “champing at the bit to give it right back at ‘em in defensive coordinator Ray Horton’s new attack-minded scheme.”
“It’s going to be good to finally get after the Baltimores and the Pittsburghs and actually give them a little dose of their own medicine,” Jackson said on the second day of voluntary minicamp.” They play aggressive. I watch all the top defenses and Baltimore and Pittsburgh, they get after people, and that’s what Ray [Horton] brings here.”
Jackson has excelled in Dick Jauron’s 4-3 over the past two seasons, so it will be interesting to see if he has the same effect converting over to Horton’s 3-4 scheme. After seven years under the tutelage of one of the best defensive coordinators, Pittsburgh’s Dick LeBeau, Horton is finally getting his chance to bring a relentless blitzing scheme with an “in-your-face” mentality to Cleveland.
The most unique characteristic of the blitz-heavy 3-4 defense is the ability to offer multiple looks while keeping players constantly in motion to confuse the offense. Players in this system are constantly relied upon to make plays and are very rarely stationary.
As for Jackson, he is excited about being able to feature an attacking look on the defensive side of the ball.
“Thus far, I haven’t been in a defense where it’s an aggressive, attack-style defense,” said Jackson. “I’m excited to see how I react to it and the guys around me. It gives everyone a chance to be a playmaker from the strong safety to the outside linebackers. In this defense [Horton] gives everyone an opportunity to either rush, cover, or make big-play opportunities.”
For years, Cleveland has been the doormat of the AFC North. Under Horton and Jackson, the new-look Browns hope to put an end to that moniker for good.
