BEREA — Full twists from the pike position and backward somersaults from the tuck position may work for Greg Louganis, but they’re a no-no in Romeo Crennel’s book. The cannonball is off-limits, too.
In an attempt to fix a tackling problem that reached epidemic proportion Monday night, the Browns coach told his team this week to stay off the 10-meter platform.
“We have to wrap up instead of going off the diving board,” Crennel said.
For those unfamiliar with A-gaps, nine-techniques and other complex football terms, Crennel explained the diving board.
“Some guys leave their feet and dive to try to make a tackle,” he said. “When you leave your feet, all your force and energy leave you also.”
Coordinator Mel Tucker, who’s had a rough stretch as his defense has squandered double-digit leads in three straight games, said players often go off the diving board because the ball carrier arrives so quickly that it seems like the only option.
“If you can just slow the game down and understand you don’t have to leave your feet, you can take two more steps, accelerate, get your head in front, wrap up and keep your feet moving on contact, you will miss less tackles,” Tucker said Friday. “When guys leave their feet too soon or when they don’t need to, you’re not going to tackle good players. You don’t have any power to finish.”
The diving board syndrome is just one of the problems that plagued the Browns on Monday night in their 29-27 win over the Bills. As Buffalo rushed for 186 yards and a 4.9 average, Browns defenders watched Marshawn Lynch run through their arms, run away from their pursuit and sometimes push right through them.
“We’ve just got to get the guy down,” cornerback Eric Wright said. “Guys have to take better angles, guys have to wrap up and guys have to be more physical. We’re looking to get a lot better.”
Lynch carried 23 times for 119 yards and caught 10 passes for 58 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown in which he weaved his way through at least seven Browns. Outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley had him in his sights at the line of scrimmage, but let him cut back without getting a hand on him. Inside linebacker Andra Davis followed with a missed tackle, and fellow inside linebacker D’Qwell Jackson overpursued as Lynch neared the goal line.
“I don’t know what it is with this D, but we’re starting to miss a lot of tackles and it’s piling up on us,” said Jackson, the team leader with 111 tackles. “A lot of guys touched Marshawn Lynch last week and couldn’t bring him down. We’re better tacklers and that’s what we’re paid to do.”
The egregious missed tackles continued throughout the game, as the Bills rallied from deficits of 13-0, 23-13 and 26-20 to take a 27-26 lead late in the fourth quarter. Inside linebacker Leon Williams, who plays in nickel situations, had the worst solo tackle of the night.
Lynch caught a swing pass, fell down and Williams, who was standing in perfect position, waited for him to get up and grabbed for his neck in an act of futility. Lynch gained 10 yards.
“I wouldn’t go as far as to say it is a want-to issue,” Tucker said. “I think guys want to tackle and want to get guys on the ground. There’s no excuse for missed tackles, and I’m not going to make them.”
The Browns rank 28th in the NFL against the run, allowing 149.3 yards per game. They rank 25th, allowing 4.7 yards a carry.
Technique isn’t the only issue. Jackson is undersized at 6 feet, Davis has slowed down in his seventh year and Wright shied away from contact Monday night, instead reaching for the ball to try to pry it loose.
“Eric is tackling good, at times,” Crennel said Thursday, before stopping himself. “I shouldn’t say that. He’s made some tackles when he’s had the opportunity to.”
And in the nickel, which the Browns use about half the time, cornerback Terry Cousin (5-9, 185) and safety Mike Adams (5-11, 195) aren’t as physical as the linebackers they replace.
To remedy the situation, Crennel and Tucker harped on tackling throughout the week. Tucker emphasized gang-tackling and instructed all 11 members of the defense to touch the ball carrier on each play of practice.
“In order to have a good defense, you have to be good tacklers,” Tucker said. “A lot of these runners, like Marshawn Lynch, are hard to tackle one-on-one. The teams that are better are teams that have more guys to the football.
“I see missed tackles throughout the league. The key is when you miss, where’s the next guy?”
Outside linebacker Willie McGinest may be the team’s best tackler at nearly 37 years of age. He said tackling requires a certain mind-set that shouldn’t be affected by score or temperature.
“Whether it’s 20 degrees or 100 degrees, your mentality is to knock the crap out of whoever’s got the ball. That’s my mentality,” he said.
Contact Scott Petrak at 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.

NEXT UP

WHO: Cleveland vs. Houston
WHEN: Sunday, 1 p.m.
WHERE: Cleveland Browns Stadium
TV/RADIO: Channel 3; WMMS 100.7-FM, WTAM 1100-AM

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