​theOBRBEREA, Ohio — It appears that the Cleveland Browns have found the formula for success. Play solid defense, holding the opponent to 20 points or less and giving the offense a chance to win late in the game. In the first game, the defense did not give the offense a chance as they gave up 34 points on six of the first seven possessions for the Jaguars. In the two wins, the defense held the Buccaneers and Panthers each to one touchdown and four field goals in allowing 19- and 18-points. In the previous two seasons, the Browns defense gave the Browns chances to win week after week, but the Browns offense averaged just 15.2 points a game in 2024 and 16.4 points a game in 2025, ranking 32nd- and 31st in the NFL in scoring. Jared Verse said the first game might have been the best thing for the defense to get their attention.“I think that first week was a bad show of character, and I think we needed that to really knock us in the mouth.”I think we are not where we want to be yet,” he said. “We’re still giving up too many points these last two weeks, but we’re getting there every week.”Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward said he knows if the defense does their job, the offense will have a chance to win.“Whatever we got to do, I think regardless of what the offense and special teams are doing, our goal is to go out there and put our guys in the best possible position and hold offenses to as less points as we can and play hard, try to take the ball away.”The defense has been able to hold off the Buccaneers and the Jaguars in their final possessions the last two weeks to secure wins for the Browns. Ward said when the Browns play complementary football, good things can happen. “At the end of the game, we’re able to do that and put it back on our shoulders and finish the game off, but the offense did a great job of executing and putting points on the board and giving us a shot.” Statistically, the Browns defense is not ranked as high as they were in the previous seasons, through three games. The Browns are No. 21 in defense, overall, allowing 344.3 yards per game (Rushing No. 22, 120.3 yards a game, Passing No. 17, 224.0 yards a game). The Browns are 18th in the NFL in points allowed at 23.7 points per game. Todd Monken said Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers present another challenge for the defense this week. “(It’s a) Week-to-week league, what you’re going to do to try and put your players in the best position to have success,” Monken said. “Each team presents different challenges offensively and defensively, so you can make certain tweaks here or there that you think best gives you the opportunity to have success.”Monken said defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg and the players have done a great job of making the changes since the season opener. “I think they’ve done a great job with that, looking at it, after Week One, ‘Where were we?’ Week Two, ‘Okay, we’re always under construction’,” he said. “I