BEREA — The Browns defense has been plagued by sloppy play over the first four games. However, it's also had moments where it's played close to the form that made it one of the league's best.

The problem for the defense is that it has so often taken stretches of the former to get to the latter. Or, as defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said this week, "We shouldn’t have to get kicked in the teeth to start playing."

That was what Schwartz said to the media. It's easy to imagine that message enhanced with some not-so-family-friendly words.

However the delivery, the message has the seal of approval from the Browns' best defensive player.

"Well, I'm tired of getting kicked in the teeth, so I'm going to make sure that we all on the same page," Garrett said Friday. "We're tired of getting punched in the mouth, we're tired of losing, so we got to get this right from the jump. We got to play 60 minutes of great ball, and there can't be any lulls. It's going to be that way on Sunday."

The Browns (1-3) face the Washington Commanders (3-1) on Sunday in suburban Maryland trying to snap a two-game losing streak. Much of the struggles, not only over the last two games, but all four games, can be traced to an offense that has been one of the NFL's worst so far.

The defense, though, has been far from the elite group it was for the better part of last season, when it finished No. 1 in multiple statistical categories. The Browns' best rankings among the major categories is seventh in third-down conversion rate (30.61%) and ninth in pass defense (175.8 yards a game).

Cleveland has been middle-of-the-pack in most of the other categories. That's par for the course for a defense that has played well for stretches, but not sustained enough or not soon enough.

"I think it's a little bit of dips in intensity and dips in communication," Garrett said. "There's a little bit of laxity that we had during the week at times, and I think we've really got that out of our system. Now we're where we need to be."

The Browns will get their chance to see how tired they really are of getting kicked in the teeth against the Commanders. Washington's offense is top-10 is several categories, including third in points (30.3 a game) and rushing (169.3), as well as sixth in total yards (382.3).

The head of that offense, though, is only a rookie, although he's been far from your normal rookie. Quarterback Jayden Daniels was the NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year for September thanks to a four-game start that has been among the best in recent memory, completing a league-best 82.1% of his passes for 897 yards and a 107.4 passer rating, which is third in the league, along with 218 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

"He kind of reminds me of (Houston Texans quarterback) CJ Stroud last year as a rookie," cornerback Greg Newsome II said. "Being able to have a high completion percentage, not making many mistakes. You don't see that from a lot of rookies coming in, so you got to treat him not like a rookie. He's proven himself in these first few games that he is one of those elite guys, so I think he's been doing an amazing job and we definitely have to be able to stop, like you said, some of those quick, high percentage throws from him."

Garrett could be just the solution to help solve some of those throws. The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year has four sacks already after getting two more on the Las Vegas Raiders' Gardner Minshew last Sunday.

The Browns, as a team, have 11 sacks, with Za'Darius Smith's two second to Garrett's four. Garrett also has a team-high 20 of Cleveland's 62 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

"Pressure," Garrett said. "Lots of pressure. It doesn't have to be blitzes or five-man, six-man pressure. Four-man has to get pressure on him down the middle and make him uncomfortable to step into those throws and those easy alleys while you're pulling. Get those hands up, get those easy (pass break-ups), but don't stop rushing. Can't allow us to start hopping up and allow him to escape the pocket, but on the way to getting to him start to tip some of those passes that he's trying to throw quick and continue to wrestle him when he's willing to hold the ball."

Otherwise, Daniels and the Commanders could end up being the latest team to give the Browns defense a kick in the teeth.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns star Myles Garrett 'tired of getting kicked in the teeth'