Cleveland Browns: Winners and Losers at the Season's Quarter Mark

The 2011 NFL season has just arrived at the quarter pole, and the Cleveland Browns have had their highs and lows.

After four games, the Browns are 2-2 for the first time since 2007.

Cleveland has had its share of growing pains with a new head coach and offensive system, as well as a young starting quarterback. However, there have also been several bright spots on the team so far.

Here is a look at the Browns' winners and losers as they enter their bye week.

Winner: The Defense

One of the biggest surprises of the Cleveland Browns' 2011 season, so far, has been the defense.

After four games, the Browns are ranked ninth in the league in total defense and fourth in passing defense. Those are very impressive numbers for a team that is starting several rookies and second-year players on defense.

Granted, the Browns have not faced an elite team yet, but their high rankings should still be considered a win for the team.

One of the biggest improvements of this year's defense has been the pass rush. The Browns already have 11 sacks, tied for fourth in the league. That stat is eye opening when you consider the Browns have two rookies on the defensive line and another player who didn't play one snap last season.

Overall, the Browns' defense has been one of the biggest winners on the team so far this season.

Winner: LB D'Qwell Jackson

Although the defense as a whole has been good for the Browns, there have also been several outstanding individual players.

One of those players is linebacker D'Qwell Jackson.

Jackson, who only played in six games the past two seasons due to injuries, has been a force on the Browns all season.

He is currently ranked third in the NFL in tackles and has 2.5 sacks. Without Jackson, the Browns defense would not be as good as it has been this season.

Loser: The Offensive Line

Going into the season, many expected the Browns' offensive line to be a strength on the team. Those expectations were well-founded, as the Browns have three Pro Bowlers on the offensive line in Joe Thomas, Alex Mack and Eric Steinbach.

However, Steinbach was put on injured reserve during training camp, and the rest of the linemen have not played up to their potential.

The Browns currently have a rookie starting on the line in Jason Pinkston and a second-year player starting in Shawn Lauvao.

All in all, the offensive line has not done a very good job of protecting quarterback Colt McCoy. He has been sacked quite a few times this season and hit as he throws even more.

Improved play from the offensive line is necessary if the Browns plan on winning many more games this season.

Loser: Team's Use of Peyton Hillis

In Peyton Hillis, the Cleveland Browns have one of the hardest-running and hardest-to-tackle running backs in the NFL.

That is, when he is given the ball.

Two weeks ago, Hillis missed a game because of strep throat and flu-like symptoms. After the game, rumors emerged that Hillis' unhappiness with his contract was the real reason he didn't play.

Those rumors were never substantiated and were outrageous to begin with. However, things seemed strange when he was not given the ball much in his return to the field last week.

Hillis is the kind of runner that needs the ball about 20 times a game to build a rhythm and momentum. He is also extremely valuable as a pass catcher. However, he was only handed the ball 10 times on running plays and thrown the ball six times against the Titans.

The good news is that head coach Pat Shurmur knows how to utilize his running backs. He called enough running plays in St. Louis the last two seasons to give Steven Jackson over 1,000 yards both seasons.

He must get back to that type of play-calling in order for Hillis to play to his full potential.

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