BROWNS Defense under pressure to increase pressure

Defensive lineman have all 11 of the team's sacks.
BEREA (AP) -- Browns coach Butch Davis is in a bit of a rush to improve his defense's pass rush.
"There is an urgency to it," Davis said. "It's a very important part of what we want to accomplish.
"It is kind of a catch-22 because we have made it an emphasis to stop the run. We probably haven't focused a significant amount of time in trying to stop the pass, have not done a good job of getting as much pressure as we would like."
The Browns did both in a 20-3 win over Baltimore in the season opener. They held Jamal Lewis to 57 yards and put the game away when defensive tackle Kenard Lang got two of his three sacks on consecutive plays and forced a fumble by Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller that led to a Cleveland touchdown in the fourth quarter.
A year ago, Lewis rushed for 500 yards in Baltimore's two lopsided wins -- hence the Browns' concern at improving their run defense.
Cleveland now ranks 11th against the run, but only 26th in pass defense entering its key AFC North rematch Sunday night in Baltimore.
Stepping up
Davis won't blame the defensive line for a lack of pressure, but wants others to step up and help.
"One of the things that is blatantly evident is that the 11 sacks we currently have are all by defensive linemen," he said.
It has been 11 games since a non-lineman got a sack for Cleveland, when Andra Davis did it Nov. 30 in Seattle.
"It can happen any given game, you never know when you might get one," said the middle linebacker, who had a career-high four sacks last Nov. 9 against Kansas City.
"In that game, coach schemed it up so good that if I didn't get it, Ben Taylor coming from the weak side would have. But as good as our defensive line is, I'll go with them. They had a great game against Baltimore."
Lang and defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban share the team lead with four sacks apiece -- causing opponents to alter their blocking schemes in an effort to stop them.
In turn, the Browns have tried other ways to free up their pass rushers.
"Sacks are not overrated," Butch Davis said. "But pressure and getting the quarterback to throw before timing and the receivers make their cuts is just as important."
Secondary job
Second-year linebacker Chaun Thompson said his job more often than not is to provide strong coverage rather than pressure.
"Our linemen do a great job," he said. "So maybe if we keep another man back in coverage, it gives our guys up front the chance to flush out the quarterback, make him hurry, or get a sack."
Thompson said intensity on every play, however, will be more important against the Ravens.
"It's got to be an attitude and we had that in the first meeting," he said. "You've got to bring your game and hit them hard. If you don't have an attitude to go with your game plan, then you can't stop anybody."
Linebacker Kevin Bentley believes an additional blitz or two might be in order against Boller, who has been sacked 19 times in seven games.
"I think I can blitz, but it's not my call," said Bentley. "You can blitz in any situation, really. I'm comfortable doing it -- but my focus is on staying within the game plan and executing on every play."
Execution on defense, or lack of it by an offensive line, leads to sacks, Andra Davis said.
"Most sacks are the result of mistakes by the offense," he said. "Especially in an intense game like this one will be Sunday. This is going to be no-holds barred. Everybody is going to bring out their trick plays, but it is going to come down to who is the most physical and who makes the least mistakes."