{"id":402698,"date":"2025-09-28T04:01:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-28T04:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/402698\/"},"modified":"2025-09-28T04:01:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-28T04:01:12","slug":"cleveland-browns-vs-detroit-lions-week-4-predictions-the-best-defense-against-the-best-offense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/402698\/","title":{"rendered":"Cleveland Browns vs. Detroit Lions Week 4 Predictions \u2013 the best defense against the best offense"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Sunday, the Cleveland Browns<\/a> take on the Detroit Lions. Below, we analyze a few advantages, disadvantages, or general thoughts about the two teams before getting to our predictions for the game.<\/p>\n

A Force to be Reckoned With\"\"<\/p>\n

After three straight games, we\u2019ve seen the same primary theme with the Browns: the defense looks like it could be the best in the NFL, and the offense looks like one where the game flies by and they haven\u2019t been able to achieve something. Both areas have been lacking in something, though.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

For the defense, creating turnovers has been difficult. For the offense, finding some form of an identity \u2014 even for a drive \u2014 has been a challenge. Last week, in the second half of the fourth quarter, we saw the elements that can really turn this into a different football team week in, and week out. On offense, it involved what I said the team\u2019s best chance of an identity is: running the ball with Quinshon Judkins. He broke two big runs, and nearly finished with 100 yards rushing on the day. That happened with the Browns\u2019 top two offensive tackles out. At best, we hope to get Jack Conklin back, which still can help a lot if he\u2019s able to go.<\/p>\n

On defense, it obviously involved the interception by Grant Delpit. For as intimidating as the defense has been, they need to generate some turnovers to take that next step. Great defense should help lead to easy offense, and if you pair that together, Cleveland can start being a team that opponents dread coming up on their schedule.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the Detroit Lions are the last team you want to face this week (or any week, for that matter). Despite their Week 1 struggles against the Packers, they are the best team in the league at mixing it up on offense, having movement, and being aggressive (including going for it on fourth down on what might normally be key stops for the defense). Cleveland has been very impressive with their discipline over these first few weeks, so it\u2019s a very compelling battle of great units. I just fear that we\u2019ll see a similar scenario of what happened against the Ravens: the defense will hold strong, but eventually, you\u2019re going to give us something, especially if the offense doesn\u2019t hold their end of the bargain.<\/p>\n

Quick Hitters<\/p>\n

Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz talked about the Lions going for it on fourth down often, and how the defense needs to be prepared for the mentality of a third down stop not meaning their job is done:<\/p>\n

The fact that Detroit goes for it so much on fourth down, where they\u2019re just like an aggressive team in all phases.I think they\u2019re at seven-for-eight on fourth down. Does that change your approach, and how important is it from a mental standpoint for players to realize that even when you get that third down stop, you might not be getting off the field?<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I mean, it definitely plays into it. Just because, you know\u2026 make it third-and-10, you know, usually you give up eight yards and punt team is coming off the field, right? These guys, it\u2019s not the case. And it\u2019s not just in the plus territory. I mean, the NFL is trended toward a lot of teams going for it on fourth down in plus territory. These guys will go for it in their own territory. They\u2019ll go for it midfield, they\u2019ll go for a little bit longer for it, fourth downs. So just knowing that going in, it layers your calls just a little bit different, you know, really doesn\u2019t change. It really doesn\u2019t change our attitude with the play. But, you know, maybe what you\u2019re willing to give up on a third down might not be the same this week as in other weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees was asked if they are close to getting the chemistry improved between Joe Flacco and Jerry Jeudy:<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I do. I think we\u2019re close there. Again, there\u2019s a lot of parts of the offense that allow some of that to happen and putting Jerry in position to make sure that we\u2019re giving him the best opportunities to get open, finish some things. And yeah, we\u2019ve had some chances there that maybe were just a little bit off, we\u2019ve had some chances maybe we\u2019ve missed, we\u2019ve had some looks that we like that maybe just haven\u2019t connected. So, just continue to find ways to get him going and get the ball in his hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some other notes to look forward to:<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

We highlighted this above, but Jerry Jeudy needs to get on track to help open up the offense too. As much as I think Judkins\u2019 running ability will help, Jeudy has 134 yards receiving through 3 games, and a handful of drops. His biggest impact has probably been on drawing some pass interference penalties. We need Jeudy back to being free and relaxed. It\u2019s the type of thing where I think you can make the effort to get him involved early on, for the importance it has on the rest of the offense. If it doesn\u2019t work, it doesn\u2019t work, and you still have the rest of the game to adapt.<\/p>\n

Last week, we saw a significant increase in utilization for Isaiah Bond. There wasn\u2019t necessarily a payoff, but it\u2019s something to watch.<\/p>\n

Defensively, are there really any other notes we need to mention? Nickelback remains the biggest question mark on the team, and with Jared Goff\u2019s ability, it is surely something that the Lions are aware of and ready to attack.<\/p>\n

Cleveland got a big boost from special teams last week, including Andre Szmyt\u2019s 55-yarder to win it. Indoors this week, hopefully the special teams unit can keep it going.<\/p>\n

Predictions<\/p>\n

Here are predictions from multiple staff members at DBN:<\/p>\n

Chris Pokorny: \u201cI think we\u2019ll see the Browns\u2019 offense have some good moments, in a game that will be a fun battle that is close enough to keep fans wondering if Cleveland can pull it off. Ultimately, the Lions have that firepower that will allow them to secure the win late and hold on.\u201d Lions 23, Browns 17<\/p>\n

Jared Mueller: \u201cI very much believe the Cleveland Browns can win in Week 4 against the Detroit Lions for a wide variety of reasons. I also do not expect a victory but a close game. Amon-Ra St. Brown will have a field day with the Browns slot cornerbacks and that will be the difference in the ball game.\u201d Lions 21, Browns 17<\/p>\n

Thomas Moore: \u201cThe Browns certainly have what it takes to win this game, especially on the defensive side of the ball as they showed last week against the Packers. The problem is that the offense continues to show no signs of putting together multiple scoring drives. And with the offensive tackle situation continuing to spiral, it appears that a solution is not yet in sight.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

Another fear is that this team never seems to be able to handle or sustain even a little bit of success. The Lions are good, and unless Cleveland\u2019s offense finds itself, it will yet another disappointing trip to the Motor City for the Browns.\u201d Lions 24, Browns 10<\/p>\n

Curtiss Brown: \u201cAfter shocking the Green Bay Packers last Sunday, the Cleveland Browns will look to do it again, this time against the Detroit Lions. Are the Lions a good team? Yes. Are they a scary team that the Browns should fear? Absolutely not.<\/p>\n

After their week 1 loss against the Packers, Detroit\u2019s offense was able to run the ball effectively against a Chicago Bears defense front 7 that\u2019s 28th in defensive success run rate and a Baltimore Ravens front that was missing Nnamdi Madubuike. Detroit\u2019s offensive line went up against a physical front in the Packers in Week 1 and struggled and Cleveland\u2019s front might be the best in the entire league that they will face this season (outside of the Philadelphia Eagles). Detroit\u2019s offense will try to generate explosives on the ground (both inside and outside runs) and on through the air.<\/p>\n

Offensively, the Browns have to just sustain drives. It\u2019s easier said than done with an offensive line that\u2019s battered. Detroit\u2019s defense has weak spots to exploit and it will be curious if the Browns offense can exploit them. Cleveland has found some success running the ball towards the end of the 4th quarter last week but if the run game isn\u2019t working, the team might be stuck. However, Detroit\u2019s secondary has some weaknesses that you can exploit.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

Close game, could be low scoring but Detroit barely wins because their offensive talent is better than Cleveland\u2019s.\u201d Lions 21, Browns 20<\/p>\n

Barry Shuck: \u201cThe Lions are a roller coaster this year, but also a very good team. Remember, they won 15 games last season. Let\u2019s look at matchups: Detroit is #9 in passing yards allowed (761), whereas Cleveland\u2019s defense is #5 in pass defense with allowing just 521 yards. On offense, the Browns are middle of the pack in passing yardage (650) while the Lions\u2019 defense is middle of the pack in pass defense, allowing 710 yards. To me, this means the passing game evens out for both clubs.<\/p>\n

In rushing, we know the Browns cannot run the ball and are ranked #29 (260), but their defense is #1 against the run, allowing just 172 rushing yards and a single rushing TD. Detroit is the league\u2019s fourth-best rushing team (447), so this will be a great battle. The Lions\u2019 defense is ranked #11 against the run, which doesn\u2019t matter since CLE can\u2019t move it on the ground anyways.<\/p>\n

The \u201cX\u201d factor for Cleveland\u2019s offense will be Quinshon. Will he suddenly become our new Nick Chubb? If so, this offense just might start moving, especially with the success of our tight ends helping the passing game. At first, I thought another trip to the woodshed, but this Browns defense is for real and has kept them in two of three games. Special teams is on the rebound, and if Cleveland finds a running game, something just might happen. After beating one of the NFL\u2019s best teams last week, I am hoping for a win, or at least it will be close, rather than a beating. The key will be to take WR Amon-Ra St. Brown out of the game\u201d Lions 24, Browns 20<\/p>\n

Ezweav: \u201cThe win last week certainly did a lot to change perceptions moving forward.\u00a0 This will be a much steeper test on the\u00a0road and against a better opponent.\u00a0 The real key to everything is going to be their OL versus our DL.\u00a0 It\u2019s not just good-on-good it might very well be best-on-best.\u00a0 If Cleveland\u2019s front is unable to generate pressure on Jared Goff, it may be rough sledding for our secondary (in particular whoever is playing the slot).\u00a0 On the\u00a0other hand, if Detroit can\u2019t keep the rush at bay than it could be a very long day for Mr. Goff indeed.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

Detroit\u2019s defense is no slouch either and that\u2019s where the real disparities lie.\u00a0 While Quinshon Judkins\u2019 performance thus far bodes will for the continued\u00a0development of the running game, it was another rough outing for Joe Flacco last week.\u00a0 There could be a variety of reasons for this but he just seems to be not pulling the trigger for who-knows-why<\/p>\n

I think\u00a0he\u2019ll come out of it a little bit this week and we\u2019ll make a few more plays.\u00a0 But also this seems like a game where both teams end up scoring more than they should, which will be entertaining but ultimately not fulfilling.\u201d Lions 25, Browns 24<\/p>\n

Who do you think will win, Browns fans? Let us know in the comments section below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This Sunday, the Cleveland Browns take on the Detroit Lions. Below, we analyze a few advantages, disadvantages, or…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":402699,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2054],"tags":[4566,36408,117,86,391,85,54,2337,2908,113,7,10778,5574,19557,1029,2827,562,147,6,587,23556,1551,428,109,586,582,4378],"class_list":{"0":"post-402698","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cleveland-browns","8":"tag-amon-ra-st-brown","9":"tag-andre-szmyt","10":"tag-baltimore-ravens","11":"tag-browns","12":"tag-chicago-bears","13":"tag-cleveland","14":"tag-cleveland-browns","15":"tag-clevelandbrowns","16":"tag-defense","17":"tag-detroit-lions","18":"tag-football","19":"tag-grant-delpit","20":"tag-isaiah-bond","21":"tag-jack-conklin","22":"tag-jared-goff","23":"tag-jerry-jeudy","24":"tag-joe-flacco","25":"tag-lions","26":"tag-nfl","27":"tag-nick-chubb","28":"tag-nnamdi-madubuike","29":"tag-offense","30":"tag-packers","31":"tag-philadelphia-eagles","32":"tag-quinshon-judkins","33":"tag-the-browns","34":"tag-the-lions"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/115279933272439789","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402698","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=402698"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402698\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/402699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=402698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=402698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=402698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}