Browns Survive Late Surge From Largely Toothless Lions
The Cleveland Browns won a sloppy football game they had total control of for three quarters, only allowing the Detroit Lions to make a late game push in the end to put the result in doubt. A win was the goal for Browns this week and they got it, but the game was far closer than it had any business being given the disparity in talent between the two teams.
Lions backup quarterback Tim Boyle, making the first start of his career, struggled and the Browns defense was more than willing to let him, intercepting him twice and only allowing three third down conversions on the day.
Up until DeAndre Swift broke a 56-yard touchdown run, a play the Browns were in position to stop and simply proved unable, it looked as if they would cruise to a shut out. The field goal they yielded was off a Baker Mayfield interception in Browns territory.
The Lions just as the New England Patriots did the week previous, took advantage of the weakness on the defensive interior and found success running iso plays, double teaming them to the second level, wiping out their inside linebackers with them.
Speaking of Mayfield, the quarterback continued to battle through injuries while also fighting with his accuracy all game. Wildly inconsistent, he sailed a wide open throw to Jarvis Landry early that resulted in an interception and other passes he threw were largely unpredictable all game. Mayfield completed 15 of his 29 passes for 179 yards.
The Browns did get backup Case Keenum loosened up just in case they wanted to make the switch but never pulled the trigger.
Mayfield made a few terrific throws including a ball down the right sideline to Ja'Marcus Bradley. That only added to the frustration because there were plays where he was great and plays where his throws were downright ghastly. Mayfield declined to talk to the media after the game, suggesting just how angry he was at himself for his performance.
He did throw a touchdown pass to Nick Chubb to give the Browns what was a 13-0 lead in the first half.
Chubb, fresh off of a COVID-19 diagnosis that kept him out the previous game, did not look any worse for wear, racking up 130 yards rushing on 22 carries. The only thing able to stop the Browns offensive front and their running game were penalties as they had a number of them throughout the contest.
What enabled the Browns to seal the game was their perimeter run blocking, which was on point the entire day. The passing game was ineffective most of the game, but both their tight ends and receivers were able to help create tunnels outside, which the Browns exploited on toss plays throughout the game as well as what proved to be the pivotal third down conversion to seal the game.
Little was pretty about this game, but the Browns got themselves a win against an opponent that pushed the Baltimore Ravens to the wire and tied the Pittsburgh Steelers, moving them to 6-5.
The games against the Ravens, whom they play twice in the next three weeks, always seemed destined to be pivotal, though it was under far better circumstances for both teams, who find themselves limping into this matchup.
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