It wasn’t the prettiest win, but the Detroit Lions moved to 3-1 after a 34-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
The score was much closer than the final would suggest, as it was just a 10-point game early in the fourth quarter. But the Lions responded with 14 unanswered points in the final 15 minutes thanks to a big punt return touchdown from Kalif Raymond and a strip sack from Aidan Hutchinson to put the nail in the Browns’ coffin.
In total, it was a strong defensive effort from both teams, but the Lions made more explosive plays, including three turnovers and three sacks. Meanwhile, the Lions offense only turned the ball over once, did not allow Jared Goff to get sacked, and put up just over 100 rushing yards to prove offensive coordinator John Morton right about Cleveland not facing a running game like Detroit’s prior to today.
Here’s a full recap of the game.
First quarter
The Lions offense took the field first after the Browns won the coin toss and deferred. The Lions were only able to pick up a single first down with a 13-yard curl to Jameson Williams to open the drive. On third-and-7, Jared Goff checked down to Jahmyr Gibbs, who was 3 yards short of the first down, and the Lions punted from midfield, pinning the Browns at their own 12-yard line.
The Browns took the tough field position and drove right down the field for the opening score. Jerry Jeudy, in particular, was giving D.J. Reed some trouble, catching three passes for 48 yards on the opening drive, including a big 33-yard gain.
Joe Flacco converted a couple of third downs along the way, including a 16-yard completion to Isaiah Bond and a 6-yard pass to Cedric Tillman. The Browns got all the way to the goal line and nearly got stuffed, but on fourth-and-goal, Quinshon Judkins crammed it in for a 1-yard touchdown. 7-0 Browns.
Jared Goff made a huge play on third down to avoid a three-and-out. With Myles Garrett chasing him down, Goff escaped the pocket and found a wide open Amon-Ra St. Brown for 25 yards.
After a couple of Browns penalties pushed Detroit into the red zone, Jahmyr Gibbs capped off the drive with a nice 8-yard touchdown run to make it tied 7-7.
The Lions defense looked completely different on the next drive. After two stuffed plays, Flacco sensed pressure and floated up a ball to… no one. A miscommunication with the receiver left Lions safety Kerby Joseph alone to pick off the pass for what was likely the easiest interception of his life.
The Lions connected on a strike to St. Brown for 13 yards to kick off the ensuing drive. But they went backwards from there, getting stuffed on two consecutive runs and committing a false start on third down. Detroit faced a third-and-14 going into the second quarter.
Second quarter
The Lions hit Kalif Raymond for 7 yards to make the subsequent field goal more manageable, and Jake Bates nailed it from 48 yards. 10-7 Lions.
The Browns were able to pick up 16 yards on a screen pass to kick off the drive, but that was it. A first-down sack from Aidan Hutchinson put the Browns behind the sticks on the next series of downs, and they could never recover—punting back to the Lions.
Lions quickly got out of the hole with a big 24-yard run up the middle from Gibbs. But back-to-back false start penalties doomed the drive. Goff couldn’t connect with Jameson Williams on a deep shot, and his screen to Gibbs was snuffed out well before the first down.
A solid Jack Fox punt pinned the Browns at their own 8-yard line to help tip the field position battle in Detroit’s favor. The Lions defense got the three-and-out stop they needed, despite a great effort from Browns tight end Harold Fannin to nearly convert a third-and-12.
The Lions offense would get the ball back on their own 39-yard line with an opportunity to add to their lead. But after two rushes that went for -1 yards, Goff tried to hit Williams on a deep shot and the speedy receiver had trouble tracking the ball and dropped what would’ve been a big gain.
The Browns offense looked like they may get things going, but Lions cornerback D.J. Reed made a diving interception and took it all the way down to the Browns’ 5-yard line.
On the play, Lions safety Kerby Joseph suffered an injury and went straight to the locker room. He was initially listed as questionable to return with a knee injury.
The Lions took advantage of the turnover, with Amon-Ra St. Brown catching a wide-open 2-yard touchdown pass (thanks to an Isaac TeSlaa pick) to make it 17-7 Lions with 3:00 left in the first half.
The Browns went three-and-out after a holding penalty put them behind the sticks. The Lions would get the ball back at their own 17-yard line with 55 seconds left and just one timeout left.
Goff went to work with deep shot over the middle to Sam LaPorta for 27 yards. But the Lions couldn’t get any closer than giving Bates an opportunity for a 58-yard field goal, and he drilled it with eight seconds left. 20-7 Lions.
Third quarter
The Browns got the ball to start the second half, but couldn’t score despite some help from the refs. It looked like the Lions had their third turnover of the game, when Hutchinson sacked and stripped Flacco, but Brian Branch was flagged for a questionable holding call, extending the Browns’ drive. But three straight incompletions—with tight coverage—from Flacco at midfield had the Browns punting for the fourth time on the day.
Detroit took over at their 10-yard line. A trio of Gibbs runs moved the chains to start the drive. But on second down, Goff did not appear to be on the same page as Jameson Williams, and a deep shot landed right in the arms of Denzel Ward for the interception.
The Browns were able to work their way closer into field goal range with a pair of first downs. However, they were held to a field goal after a third-down blitz forced a tough throw from Flacco and Branch knocked it away. 20-10 Lions.
Detroit tied to attack the run game on the ensuing drive, leaving them in a third-and-4 two plays in. Goff continued to try and hit Jameson Williams, but a deep shot was just out of his reach and the Lions punted.
The Browns were able to move the ball into Lions territory with a few good runs. On a physical run from Judkins, Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold made the tackle, but suffered a shoulder injury and was listed as quesitonable to return. On the very next play, Flacco conencted with Isaiah Bond for 35 yards, with Arnold’s replacement (Amik Robertson) in coverage.
But Detroit’s defense held strong from there, forcing a couple of incomplete passes, and a tackle for loss from Jack Campbell. The Browns attempted a 56-yard field goal, but pushed it wide left to keep the score 20-10 Lions with 1:25 left in the third quarter.
With good field position, the Lions immediately hit on an explosive play. Gibbs found the edge on a run for a 22-yard gain. The Lions worked their way to a third-and-2 at the end of the third quarter.
Fourth quarter
Goff laid a great ball to Jameson Williams on third down, but the receiver continued his struggles with another drop. The Lions went for it, and a toss to Gibbs came up a yard short.
The Lions defense did their part, forcing a three and out from the Browns. However, on a deep shot to Jerry Jeudy, D.J. Reed suffered a lower body injury and it didn’t look good. He had to be carted off.
On the ensuing punt, Kalif Raymond took the line drive kick and housed it for a 65-yard touchdown. 27-10 Lions.
The Browns proceeded to go three-and-out yet again after a pressure from Hutchinson forced an inaccurate pass from Flacco on third down.
Detroit nearly went three-and-out again, but Goff finally connected with Williams again for a 27-yard gain. That would be it for the Lions’ offensive drive, but Fox laid another beautiful punt down, pinning the Browns at the 6-yard line.
The Lions defense would put away the game for good, with Hutchinson getting his strip sack—and it counted this time. Trevor Nowaske recovered at the Browns 20-yard line.
It took the Lions a few plays to punch it in, but a nice little bubble screen to Amon-Ra St. Brown helped Detroit find the end zone for the fourth time on Sunday. 34-10 Lions.
Both teams put in their backups after that, letting the clock run out to end the game.
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