CLEVELAND — Through the first five weeks of the 2022 season, it would be tough to argue that the Cleveland Browns defense has lived up to expectations.
While the Browns' offense ranks toward the top of the league in several statistical categories with backup Jacoby Brissett at quarterback, their defense has found itself at the bottom of the league, with Cleveland's defense ranking 30th in FootballOutsiders.com's advanced DVOA statistic.
The disappointing nature of the Browns' defense during a 2-3 start to the season has led to speculation regarding defensive coordinator Joe Woods' job security, with several fans calling for his job. Now in his third season in the role, Woods is no stranger to the proverbial hot seat.
"I promise everybody, we're trying to do everything that we can to win," Woods told reporters on Thursday. "Right now, it's not going well in terms of the consistency and the stretches we're doing things. But I just don't worry about [the criticism]. You can't."
Whether Woods is worried about it or not, that criticism isn't going to disappear if Cleveland's defense doesn't improve in a season in which it currently ranks 25th in the NFL in yards per play. The Browns' defensive struggles were on full display on Sunday when they allowed 465 yards -- including 238 rushing yards -- in a 30-28 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, who entered the game with the league's lowest-ranked rushing offense.
Cleveland's defensive woes, which have been especially prevalent in the fourth quarters of games dating back to the start of the season, have resulted in a re-emphasis on teaching tackling in practice and already at least one players' only meeting. Still Woods -- who faced similar criticism last season before the Browns experienced a second-half turnaround -- is doing his best to block out the noise.
"I've been around, in my coaching career, just different people who maybe they listened to [the criticism] more. And I've seen what it's done to them," Woods said. "I just believe in what I'm doing. I believe in the coaches I have around me -- just because of the stuff that we've done. I believe in the players. I just feel like if we all just work together to correct the issues that we'll get it headed in the right direction."