By Jodie Valade, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Joe Haden kept count. A year ago, the Browns cornerback had five chances at intercepting the ball. Five times, he dropped it.
"I've always had good hands," Haden said, shaking his head. "I don't know what happened." 
His disappointing zero-interception season came on the heels of his six-interception rookie year. He vowed to improve.
This season? Haden has two interceptions, and the Browns' team total of 10 through seven games already surpasses last season's total of nine. It comes after a renewed emphasis on forcing turnovers and it comes with just a bit of good luck, too.
Haden chooses to believe the interceptions -- he, Usama Young, D'Qwell Jackson and Craig Robertson all have two apiece -- are a result of Browns defenders playing better this season.
"People are just trying to make plays," said Haden, whose two INTs have come in just three games played this season. "People just doing their part and basically trying to make a play for the team, not being afraid to take chances."
It helps that defensive coordinator Dick Jauron has spent most days since the spring reminding his squad that turnovers are essential to the Browns' success. Jauron reminds to not only try to make a hard tackle, to smack the quarterback with a sack -- but to also try to dislodge the ball.
That's exactly what cornerback Sheldon Brown said he did Sunday in Indianapolis when he homed in on quarterback Andrew Luck from his blind side. Brown focused on trying to time his hit precisely when Luck drew back the ball to throw, he said. And while the timing was a bit off, Brown did manage to force the fumble -- the team's fourth this season -- and recovered the ball. Last season, the team had 15 forced fumbles.
"Last year we missed out on a lot of opportunities to get interceptions," Jackson said. "This year we've been able to capitalize on those balls early. There are some things we do during practice to work on stripping guys, and getting interceptions is really a focal point on our side of the ball. If we can create those turnovers and give Brandon [Weeden] and the offense more opportunities, it just makes us better as a team."
The defense has even spent extra time working catching drills this season, another part of the renewed emphasis on coming up with interceptions.
"If you don't catch it, clearly, it's not an interception. We're catching the ball," Jauron said. "It's a big part of it every year. Every year, when you go back at the end of the season, you look at it as an individual player or as a football team and say, 'If we had only caught our chances.' Some of them are really difficult, a lot of bodies around, a lot of contact at the ball so you're not going to catch every one of those. Some of them are not that hard, the ball surprises you. You've just got to make your catches, and make your plays."
Then again, Brown isn't completely sure the higher interception numbers are all about the catches.
"Turnovers come in bunches," he said. "People say it's luck. Who knows."
Sold: The sale of the Browns to new owner Jimmy Haslam officially closed Thursday with his payment of $700 million of the $1 billion price tag. Per the agreement, another $300 million will be paid in four years.
Although the sale was final, new CEO Joe Banner did not officially start Thursday. He was in Boston with his father, who is ill.
Understatement: Defensive tackle Phil Taylor practiced again Thursday, his second full day of practice since returning from pectoral surgery in the off-season. He reported no soreness after .
"It's weird," Taylor said. "I expected to be sore."
Browns coach Pat Shurmur wasn't sure what to expect, but was surprised by what he saw out of the 6-foot-3, 355-pound defensive lineman.
"He looked big," Shurmur said. "I'm not used to seeing him out there. I'm not saying he's fat, I'm like, 'Wow.' It reminds you how big he is. I watched him quite a lot and he moved around fine."
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/10/cleveland_browns_haden_haveing.html
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