5 Key 2014 Defensive Stats for the Cleveland Browns

In the NFL, numbers cannot tell the whole story. But they do provide illuminating insights into a team's performance and what it does well and what can use improvements. In 2014, the Cleveland Browns defense did some things right and struggled in other areas, and the stats reflect both the good and the bad.

Let's take a look at five key Browns' defensive stats from 2014 and see where that could lead them in 2015.

Rush Yards Per Game Allowed: 141.6

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It's no secret that the Browns struggled to stop the run last year. They gave up a league-high 141.6 rushing yards per game on average in 2014, along with 4.5 yards per rush. That Cleveland allowed only 13 rushing touchdowns is cold comfort considering the ease with which opponents gained so much yardage with the run.

Teams ran against the Browns 500 times last season to exploit this weakness—only the Tennessee Titans faced the run more often. But this year, it shouldn't be as easy. Though the Browns have had long-standing issues defending the run, last year's problems were attributed to numerous injuries as well as Ahtyba Rubin being out of his depth as the starting nose tackle.

With those injured players—including Armonty Bryant, Phil Taylor and John Hughes—returning to full health this year and rookie Danny Shelton likely to see time alongside Taylor at nose tackle, the Browns' prospects of stopping the run are much better in 2015.

Missed Tackles: 102

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What's most interesting about the Browns' struggles against the run is that they weren't the direct result of missed tackles. According to Pro Football Focus, the Browns totaled 102 missed tackles last year. They were the most efficient tackling defense in the league, missing .086 tackles per snap played. And this comes on the heels of the Browns having the second-highest tackling total in the NFL last season with 1,164. 

Only two Browns defenders had double-digit missed tackles, based on Pro Football Focus' numbers—safety Donte Whitner with 14 and linebacker Paul Kruger with 13, and the pair were among the players to total the most snaps on the year. Impressively, defensive end Desmond Bryant totaled only one missed tackle though he played 749 snaps.

It is strange that the Browns did a poor job of stopping the run while also being such an efficient tackling defense. But it is a sign that they can improve their run defense this year, because they aren't lacking in the fundamentals of tackling.

Opponent Quarterback Rating: 74.1

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The Browns defense didn't struggle in every area last year—they were masters of defending the pass, particularly in coverage. Opposing quarterbacks had a league-worst quarterback rating of 74.1 when throwing against the Browns in 2014.

Though Cleveland's defense struggled against the run, that didn't deter teams from passing against the Browns. They saw a total of 587 passes thrown against them last year, with only six teams facing more passing attempts. 

What led to such a low quarterback rating for opposing offenses was the Browns allowing a league-low completion percentage of 57.1 while coming up with the second-most interceptions in the NFL with 21.

The secondary, in particular, saw few offseason changes—the only difference is that cornerback Tramon Williams will be taking over for Buster Skrine on the outside alongside Joe Haden. So the Browns should again field one of the best coverage defenses this season.

Sacks: 31

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It's a good thing that the Browns secondary was so good at defending passes, because the front seven did not do as well at getting to opposing quarterbacks. The Browns had just 31 sacks in 2014, ranking 27th in the league.

Linebacker Paul Kruger led the team with 11. He also led the team in quarterback hits, with 11, and hurries, with 30, according to Pro Football Focus. But no other member of the defense cracked double digits last year—the next-highest sack total belonged to defensive end Desmond Bryant with five.

The Browns are hoping that the additions of rookies Nate Orchard and Danny Shelton will help their pass rush, as will the return of a number of injured defenders. And with Scott Solomon showing promise as an early-down pass-rusher, the Browns will be better equipped to bring pressure this season.

Points Per Game Allowed: 21.1

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Even with the Browns struggling to stop the run and to rush the passer last year, their defense held up well enough to limit their opponents to just 21.1 points per game on average, the ninth-best average in the NFL.

This low point total only serves to underscore just how effective the Browns could have been last year with a more productive and consistent offense. For example, the New England Patriots, the eventual Super Bowl champions, gave up an average of 19.6 points per game. 

But it also shows just how good the Browns defense was last year, flaws and all. Limiting points is the ultimate goal of any NFL defense, and the Browns ended up a top-10 unit in that regard.