Dalvin Tomlinson Has Elevated Cleveland
Nov 5, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson (94) celebrates after a play during the first half against the Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
They say defense wins championships, and the Cleveland Browns better hope that’s true now that their franchise quarterback is done for the year. The Browns are 6-3, coming off a huge comeback win against the division-leading Baltimore Ravens and despite their most recently dealt adversity still are squarely in the mix to return to the playoffs after being absent the last 2 years.
But what about this year is different from years previous? There is a few obvious answers. Jim Schwartz is a world-class defensive coordinator, and he’s opening the scheme up for the best defender in the world to look even better. Za’Darius Smith is an absolute nightmare for a quarterback and he’s created matchup issues each and every week. But if you look beyond the flashy talkers you’ll find another massive reason for this teams success. The Browns 6’3”, 325 Llb monster in the middle Dalvin Tomlinson.
The team had been relying on guys like Taven Bryan and Jordan Elliot before this season, so they made it a priority to get a real force in the middle in the offseason. They picked up Tomlinson in hopes that he could clog up the middle, stop the run, and collapse the pocket on opposing quarterbacks, and he has done exactly that.
Tomlinson has been reliable in the B gap his whole career but this year he has taken it to the next level. Through 9 games the big guy has racked up 20 pressures, 4 sacks, and 13 hurries. This puts him on pace for 37 pressures, 7.5 sacks, and 24 hurries on the season, a stat line that would shatter his prior personal records.
His stellar year hasn’t just been to his benefit however, it’s been clear the impact he has had on the defense as a whole. The 2022 Cleveland Browns defense without Dalvin Tomlinson allowed 22.4 ppg, 331 total ypg, as well as 135 rush ypg. The 2022 defense also featured the 13th-best pass rush win rate at 43%, and an 11th-best run stop win rate at 31%. So far in 2023 with the addition of Dalvin Tomlinson the Cleveland Browns are allowing 18.9 ppg, 242 total ypg, and 91.6 rush ypg. The pass rush win rate thus far has been a 4th best 55% and the run stop win rate has been a league-best 39%. Oh yeah, and Tomlinson is exceeding that number with his 45% run-stop win rate.
Beyond the team numbers, Tomlinson in the middle has – to a degree – alleviated attention on Myles Garrett. Myles Garrett is and always will be the center of focus when it comes to game planning against the Cleveland Browns, but the presence of Tomlinson gives coaches one more thing to think about, one more thing to second guess. And with Myles Garrett, you can’t afford to second guess. The crowding of mind and of space that comes with Tomlinson has led to Myles Garrett reaching another level just when you thought he was at his peak. Now offensive lines that went to sleep fearing the Myles Garrett air dribbles, and the vicious bull rushes have to wake up dreading the mammoth that is Dalvin Tomlinson and his knockback that will send you flying into your own quarterback.
Naturally, people will fixate on Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward, and for good reason, those guys are amazing. But Dalvin Tomlinson has been quietly as impactful as the both of them this season for the Browns. Now instead of looking at the Browns and thinking it would be the same ole Browns, the sight of the Browns on the schedule brings terrors of torment to opposing offensive lines and quarterbacks.
The next time you talk about Cleveland, before you mention the tragedies of Deshaun Watson, or the horrifying events of Nick Chubb, before you bring up the freak of nature that is Myles Garrett, make sure you bring up Dalvin Tomlinson and the impact he has had in Cleveland. After all, he has been a catalyst in the transformation of a defense that is carrying the Cleveland Browns through the battlefield that is the AFC as they vie for their return to the second season.
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