Nickname time

After what happened at Cleveland Browns Stadium Sunday afternoon, it's time to give the Browns defense a nickname, one that perfectly fits this unit that has taken the National Fotball League by storm this season. I think I've got one. 

Marauder (noun) Plunderer, pillager, ravager, spoiler. If that's not it, it sure is good enough to describe what that side of the football has done to its first three opponents this season. Call them Schwartz's Marauders.

In the first three games this season, opponents have totaled -- totaled! -- 21 first downs, only 491 yards,  just 156 yards on the ground and 335 through the air, scored just one touchdown and have converted only eight of 41 third downs.

That's some special defense and it's all because the Browns were wise beyond belief to hire Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator. Best move of the season. By far.

Schwartz's smothering crew once again played against the Titans as though their hair was on fire. They pillaged, ravaged and plundered Ryan Tannehill and the Tennessee Titans offense en route to a dominant 27-3 thumping, one of the Browns' easiest victories in years. Totally neutered them.

Myles Garrett was unstoppable all day, making Tannehill his personal rag doll with 3.5 sacks, five tackles (four solo), five quarterback hits and a whole bunch of hurries. 

It seemed as though there was a magnet in the football that drew the immediate attention of all 11 Cleveland defenders not only on the ground, but through the air as well. Titans runners were swallowed up by the aggressive line. Tannehill completed only 13 passes and each one of the receptions had company within seconds. The tackling was text book.

If not for Elijah Moore losing a fumble at the Cleveland 17 late in the first quarter, this would have been a shutout. The transition defense clamped down and forced a 44-yard field goal by Nick Folk that created a 3-3 tie early in the second quarter.

For the first time this season, the defense got help from the offense. Deshaun Watson played his best game in a Browns uniform after eight subpar performances, looking a lot more like he played in his early Houston Texans days.

He was cool, confident, got the ball out on time, was as accurate as he's ever been in a Cleveland uniform and was completely in control with one notable brain-dead moment that monetarily spoiled a pretty good afternoon.

Midway through what turned out to be a nine-play 75-yard scoring drive following Folk's field goal, Watson was trapped in the backfield near midfield on first down. Instead of throwing the ball away or taking the sack, he tried to get the ball as he was falling to Moore, who was directly behind him. The wide receiver fortunately recovered the ball.

Benefiting from a 37-yard pass interference call on the next play, Watson hooked up with Jerome Ford from 19 yards four plays later after the running back, who was flanked left, ran a stop and go route and was wide open in the end zone.

Watson was just getting started. He completed all three passes in the following possession, including a 25-yarder to Amari Cooper that help set up Dustin Hopkins' second field goal of the gane from 52-yards, his second connection from beyond midfield this season.

Ford, who shared running back duties with Kareem Hunt and Pierre Strong Jr., climaxed an 11-play, 85-yard drive with his second score of the afternoon, a three-yard sprint to the pylon off left tackle. Watson set him up with a well-executed 10-yard RPO run right up the gut.

Watson and Cooper later collaborated on a 43-yard connection midway through the final quarter after the wide receiver ran a straight go route directly between deep double coverage and neither defender made a move.

Watson missed on only six of his 33 throws for 289 yards and the two touchdowns, but was sacked three times. He was so good, head coach Kevin Stefanski gave him the rest of the afternoon off and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson had the huddle on the last possession.

And I can't find anything negative to say about special teams. It seems to be a slow process with that unit, although Hopkins sure has been terrific in relief of he who shall not be mentioned. All together Sunday, it was a confluence of solid football.

It's been a very long while since the Browns put together such a game where fans are breathing easier midway through the third quarter, not having to worry -- and think -- about what's going to happen to spoil everything. It was a worry-free three hours.

Usually one of the three units that screws up. Not on this day. The defense from the line all the way through to the backfield was its aggressive, nasty self. They controlled every facet of the game. About as close to perfection as you can get.

One of the concerns entering the season on defense was how well the linebackers perform. Based on three games, I don't think there are any lingering concerns. Schwartz has turned them loose. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Anthony Walker Jr. and Sione Takitaki are flying all over the place and making plays.

With the offense slowly coming around in spite of one glaring weakness on the line, the 2-1 record they take into next Sunday's home game against the Baltimore Ravens, with whom they share first place in the AFC North, is beginning to make that game look winnable.

The Ravens have yet to meet Schwartz's Marauders.