Dawgs By Nature
The Browns’ got everyone’s hopes up with an opening drive touchdown against the Lions. After that, they basically reverted back to all the woes from the Ravens game: dropped passes, stumbling receivers, questionable decisions by Flacco, and then the cherry on top: another touchdown allowed by special teams. It all muddled what was another decent defensive performance by Cleveland, and yet, you look up at the scoreboard, and it’s a 34-10 victory for the Lions. Let’s get to the full game recap:
The Lions received the opening kickoff, and QB Jared Goff began the game with a first-down throw to WR Jameson Williams for a gain of 13 yards. A few plays later, facing 3rd-and-7, Goff just had to check it down to RB Jahmyr Gibbs for a short gain, leading to a punt that WR DeAndre Carter fair caught at the 12 yard line.
The Browns began their drive with a few positives: a 10-yard completion from QB Joe Flacco to WR Jerry Jeudy, and then a 10-yard run by RB Quinshon Judkins. After that, a couple of short runs by Judkins set up a 3rd-and-5 situation. Flacco had time and found WR Isaiah Bond on a diving grab past midfield for a first down. After that, a playaction fake set up a 33-yard pass to Jeudy toward the left sideline, down to the 12 yard line.
A few plays later, Flacco faced a 3rd-and-5 at the 7 yard line, and he found WR Cedric Tillman underneath for a 6 yard gain. On 1st-and-goal from the 1 yard line, Judkins was stopped for no gain. Two quarterback sneaks by Flacco were also denied, setting up 4th-and-goal. Cleveland stayed big and gave it to Judkins, who got in along the left side this time for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead! That finished off a 13-play, 88-yard drive that took up 7:10 of clock.
The Browns nearly forced a three-and-out, but DE Myles Garrett just missed getting to Goff, who then had time and found an open WR Amon-Ra St. Brown got a 25-yard gain down the right sideline. That was followed by a 9-yard gain by Gibbs, and then S Grant Delpit was flagged 15 yards for tripping. A sack by DE Isaiah McGuire was then negated by a holding penalty on CB Denzel Ward, giving the Lions a 1st-and-goal at the 8 yard line. The next play was a handoff to Gibbs, who stretched it along the right edge and got in for the touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 with 3:20 to go in the opening quarter.
Cleveland started their next drive at the 23 yard line. They quickly faced a 3rd-and-8 situation, and Flacco had a bizarre play where he just lofted the ball high in the air to the left side where there weren’t any receivers, and only a Lions defender camped underneath it for one of the easiest interceptions you’ll ever see.
That gave the Lions...
