We’re past Week 7 now and Cleveland Browns would-be star defensive edge Jared Verse still has as many sacks in 2026 as you or me. Yes, after vowing to turns the corner from providing consistent pressure on quarterbacks during his two seasons with the Rams–pressure that earned him two Pro Bowl selections–to racking up more sacks, Verse instead has struggled both in putting on pressure and in getting to the quarterback for sacks. In fact, Verse still has no sacks on the season.
The Browns defense has thrived, though, in large part because it’s been excellent everywhere else–the interior of the line, the linebackers, the defensive backs. But on Sunday in the win over the Titans, Verse was a big part of the most important series of the game, the goal-line stand that kept Tennessee from taking a 21-7 lead early in the second quarter.
Jared Verse: ‘We’re Not Giving Anything Up’
It started when Tony Pollard, who tore through the Browns defense for most of the first half, was originally ruled to have scored a touchdown on a rush on first-and-goal from the 4. But replay showed Pollard had not quite gotten across the goal line, and instead, the Titans got a second-and-goal inside the 1. Cam Ward was brought down for no gain on a keeper, then was sacked for no gain by Adin Hutchinson to force a fourth-and-1.
That was when Verse and the rest of the Browns defense bowed up and stopped Pollard on a dive attempt–Winston Reid and others met him in the air, and Verse helped pull his feet back.
The Browns have been among the best fourth-down defenses in the NFL, giving up just two first downs in seven attempts, and Verse had a warning on that: “If you’re going for it on fourth down, you got to really earn it against us. And we’re not giving anything up.”
Defensive lineman Isaiah McGuire added, “Mano a mano. It’s goal line, so we’re gapped out. We all stood our gaps and then stopped the play.”
Browns Stand Frustrated Titans
The game changed from there, and after the loss to the Browns, it was obvious Titans coach Robert Saleh was still frustrated.
“We’ve got to be able to push it in from the inch yard line,” Saleh said. “I don’t give a (expletive) what the call is.”
The Browns closed the half by responding with 10 points, unanswered, and took a 17-14 lead into halftime.
Browns Struggling Star Sends Warning After Critical Play