Dawgs By Nature
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?
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...
