The Detroit Lions are a very good team this year, coming off a 15-win season last year, so nobody is surprised with that statement. They have excellent offensive firepower, but the Cleveland Browns have the league’s
#1 defense. Which should make for good football.
Cleveland shocked the Green Bay Packers the week before, who were rated #2 in the NFL power rankings. Maybe, just maybe, the Browns could rock the NFL universe with a victory over another great club. Could they? The Lions have a good passing attack, which will be one of the things to watch against that high-ranked Cleveland pass defense.
In the end, one of the best clubs in the league took Cleveland to the woodshed 34-10 in a game in which the Browns did not show much of an offense, and their defense remained on the field for too long.
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So who played well for the Browns? Who didn’t?
BROWNIES
DT Maliek Collins – The Cleveland offense was pretty bad for most of the contest, and because of this, the defense remained on the field longer. Collins was able to get more snaps and was a force all game. In the second quarter, facing a second-and-nine, Collins nailed RB David Montgomery for no gain. Two possessions later, it was Collins who grabbed RB Jahmyr Gibbs for a two-yard loss after beating RG Tate Ratledge. The very next down, Collins Montgomery took the handoff and attempted to dodge Collins, who had split both center and guard for just a one-yard gain to force a third-and-11. On the Lions’ first touchdown beginning at Cleveland’s five, Collins beat Ratledge again to the inside and gobbled up Montgomery for no gain. Had five total tackles with one QB hit.
LB Devin Bush – Had a play here and there, but with 14:55 left in the game, Detroit went for it with a fourth-and-two at Cleveland’s 24-yard line. DE Myles Garrett strung the offensive lineman along as Bush broke the gap and was able to push Gibbs out at the 23-yard line for a turnover of downs. Bush had a good tackle in the first quarter on a third-and-seven when he hit Gibbs for a four-yard gain on a short pass in the right flats to force a punt. Led all tacklers with nine. He did allow the big completion to TE Sam LaPorta just before halftime.
Opening drive – Wonderful work by the offense to start the game after the Lions were forced to punt. Starting at their own 12, WR Jerry Jeudy started things off with a nice 11-yard gain followed by RB Quinshon Judkins’ 10-yard gallop. On third-and-four, QB Joe Flacco found WR Isaiah Bond for 16 yards. Flacco then hit Jeudy in full stride for a 33-yard gain to Detroit’s 45-yard line. Two short completions, and the Browns found themselves with a first-and-goal at the one-yard line. Judkins then was hit at the one on fourth down, but kept churning his legs for the score. 13 plays, 88 yards, 7:10 of clock, and a 7-0 lead. Flacco was 5-5 on this drive.
Defense stopping a fourth down – The Lions just assumed they could just go for it at any time and either get a first down or score. But the Browns showed why they are one of the best clubs against the run this year. At the end of the third quarter, Detroit began at its own 46 after the missed 56-yard field goal. Gibbs busted out a 22-yard gain along the right end and was facing a third-and-two at the Browns’ 24. An incomplete pass made it fourth-and-two. Instead of trotting out their kicker, the Lions went for it. Collins shot the gap while Garrett strung out the right tackle Penei Sewell. Bush came out of nowhere and pushed Gibbs out of bounds one yard short of the first down conversion.
RB Quinshon Judkins – Nothing spectacular, but consistent and was a fighter until the end. Converted a third-and-two halfway through the third stanza for a first down. With 7:45 left in the game, his push kept his carry going for a key first down to the Lions’ 18-yard line. Had a nice 11-yard gain in the third quarter for 11-yards that only had one man to beat. Led all Cleveland rushers with 21 carries for 82 yards, one touchdown, and a 3.9 yards per carry average.
FROWNIES
Final Lions drive right before halftime – Browns punter Corey Bojorquez sent a beauty to Detroit’s 16-yard line with just :55 left in the second quarter. A five-yard penalty on Garrett put it on the 21. After a short pass completion, QB Jared Goff then hit LaPorta, who then rambled down to Cleveland’s 27-yard line after Bush could not keep up with him. Another short completion with 21 seconds left and then two incompletions allowed the Lions to be in field goal range as Jason Bates, who has a very good leg, nailed a 58-yard field goal with :08 left.
Third down conversions – 2-7 in the first half and 3-14 for the game. No wonder the offense is in dire straits. The attitude is “just trot out the punter” and get off the field.
RT Cornelius Lucas – For the second week in a row, Lucas did not look good. To be fair, he was facing DE Aidan Hutchinson, which makes every offensive tackle look bad. The only answer Lucas had was to station a tight end on his side for most of the game to chip Hutchinson before he got a full head of steam. Lucas had a holding call in the first half and an illegal formation penalty late in the game. Hutchinson beat Lucas badly with seven minutes left, in which the defensive end was able to slam the ball out of Flacco’s hand as he was surveying the field on a passing down. Meanwhile, Hutchinson had four tackles and two sacks with four QB hits and is sitting on a beach along Lake St. Clair right now.
Turnovers – At the half, the score was 20-7. 10 of those Detroit points were because of two interceptions. The first pick with the first quarter winding down, S Kerby Joseph made a terrific interception on a head-scratcher of a throw by Flacco. If there was an intended receiver, he wasn’t even in the vicinity of the pass. The second pick was a matter of Jeudy falling down as CB D.J. Reed dove over the top of Jeudy on a sensational pick. Flacco fumbled with 12:56 left in the third quarter, but a defensive hold took that away. The very next play, S Brian Branch had a pick right in his hands and dropped it. Then, with seven minutes left in the game, the hit by Hutchinson after he beat Lucas was a dream come true batted fumble.
QB Joe Flacco – To be fair, he was harassed for most of the day, mainly from Hutchinson who was beating Lucas all game long. Tossed two picks and had a fumble that was more Lucas’ fault than Flacco standing there waiting for a disaster to happen. What was with the slide on that third-and-two? Can’t dive headfirst, or didn’t know where the first down marker was? 16-34 for 184 yards, sacked three times (which should have been twice that), and a 39.3 QB rating. Very few good plays all game.
Milk Bones – There’s nothing wrong with you that an expensive operation can’t prolong
Minimal run game – RB Judkins had flashes while the remainder of the running back room did absolutely nothing. 27 carries for 79 total yards is nothing to write Grandma about.
Special teams – Kickoff coverage was good, with tackles made by Grant Delpit and Easton Mascarenas-Arnold. The punt return was a disaster as long snapper Rex Sunahara had a shot at the tackle, stood there, and then was blasted. Meanwhile, punter Bojorquez made zero effort in tackling the returner or attempting to angle him towards the sidelines. K Andre Szmyt made a 33-yard field goal, then missed a very long kick of 56 yards. Bojo had a busy day with seven punts with four downed inside the 20.
